Code Geass: Tertio Bello
by BlindDestiny
Summary: This isn't possible. He remembered being killed. It was too vivid to be fake. It DID happen... But even so, how did he end up here? There's rising tension in the EU, and now Schneizel has vanished. Nunnally questions her ability to rule, without her brother, one year later.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

_"Today marks the one year anniversary of the Global Revolution; the upheaval in modern society that occurred immediately after the assassination of the Ninety-ninth Emperor of Britannia, Lelouch vi Britannia. Marked in history as "Lelouch the Demon," the reverberations of his tyranny and sudden demise are still felt throughout the world even a year later. His younger sister Nunnally vi Britannia has stepped up to become the head of the once mighty Britannian Empire, alongside her knight and bodyguard Zero, the masked outlaw that once fought for Japan's liberation and her brother's assassin. _

_"Within her year of power Nunnally has relinquished all Areas once under Britannian rule to their respective governments, if they so wished. She has also chosen not to reestablish the hierarchal class-system that her brother abolished early into his own rule. Conversely, she has reinstated the UFN, United Federation of Nations, which was also abolished by Lelouch shortly after the Britannian class-system. Nunnally has also created a Peace Corps in order to help ailing nations, as well as discounted healthcare for those troubled within Britannia's own borders._

_"The Euro Universe makes news again today with more threats to secede from the UFN if they are not compensated by Britannia, with whom they still feel hostility. The EU and Britannia have a long and negative history, but with the Britannian government still weakened by Lelouch's assassination and Nunnally's downsizing thereafter, the EU feels that Britannia is at fault with the near destruction of the world and should take responsibility. At a time when the world has entered a phase considered peaceful due to the extreme casualties and fallout of the Great War, tension is arising yet again._

_"In order to deal with the EU's threats, Nunnally is visiting Japan this week to negotiate with the Japanese government and hopefully create an alliance. She plans to meet with Prime Minister Kaname and General Tohdoh tomorrow. _

_"Today, on the anniversary of change, this is Milly Ashford live from the FLEIJA Memorial Site with your global news report. Goodbye everyone."_

xx

**Author's Notes**- Yes, I have indeed jumped on the bandwagon- albeit late. I started writing this when all the "Season Three" fics were in full-swing, but have just recently decided to post it on here. If some people came to me and said: "Hey, if Code Geass had a third season, how would you do it?" this is what I would give them- and I rather like it, thank-you-very-much.

And yes, again, in this fic Lelouch did _not fake his death._ It really happened. Seriously. It's what I believe happened, although the ending to the anime was very ambiguous. You're free to believe what you want, but you've got to let me do the same, alright? (But that doesn't mean that he won't play a big part in this fic, mind you.)

I have about seven (and a half) chapters of this fic written already, and will update in a regular fashion. But when my reservoir runs out, it will be very _ir_regular.

Also, I know I'm doing a lot of explaining but bear with me for a moment, I'm not completely happy with the title either- so it may change. And it took me about a week to come up with it as it stands now... (Tertio Bello. Latin for Third War, by the way.)

**These AN's are as long as a Prologue!,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	2. First Pass

**Chapter One**

It was a comfortably cool day at the beginning of fall. The leaves had turned, but had yet fallen to the ground in droves. And if a random passer-by had indeed been passing by, then they still might not have noticed him. And if that random passer-by had noticed him, there was nothing out of the ordinary about him. He seemed like a normal college-aged student lounging beneath a tree on a gorgeous day at the beginning of fall. The random passer-by could simply pass by, leaving the boy to his lazing about, or procrastinating, or admiring; whichever task the passer-by had envisioned him doing.

But if that passer-by found something odd about him, which there was nothing, and if that passer-by had not simply passed by, but went to investigate the normal young man whom they deemed peculiar, they would have indeed found something very peculiar about him. For his face was pointed up as he lied on his back, sleeping beneath the leaves that had yet begun to fall. The passer-by would notice right away. Lying face-up is not extremely peculiar of course, but suppose that it could be if you had the face of a man who was supposed to be dead.

Luckily for him, no passer-bys were passing-by. No one to notice him. No one to investigate. And certainly no one to see his face as he slept beneath the tree full of Autumn-coloured leaves on a beautiful day at the beginning of fall.

His pointed jaw and nose were facing the leaves of the tree, the muscles of his face relaxed in his sleep. His dark hair rested on his forehead, almost covering his closed eyes. Beneath those eyelids lay eyes of striking violet, icy yet smoldering, and hardened by experiences that went well beyond his mere nineteen years.

Indeed, Lelouch vi Britannia was dead. The papers could tell you that. Anyone old enough to remember the events of one year ago could tell you that.

Yet here in the countryside, any passer-by could have all of that truth destroyed by simply passing by.

His jacket lied open beneath him, and his chest gently rose and fell to the silent rhythm of his breathing. There was a hole in his shirt. It was torn awkwardly at the left breast pocket, and from the right angle one could see a large scar marring the skin that covered where his heart was beating. Not only did he have the face of a dead man, he had the remnants of wounds that should've made him that way.

A breeze came rushing past, disturbing the leaves hanging above him, and the sound coming from the leaves disturbed the boy beneath them. His eyes sleepily opened to the rustling leaves, and a thought struck him. He scrambled to his feet with a concerned and puzzled look about his once relaxed features. In the split second after being roused from his sleep he remembered that he had died. How long ago there was no way of knowing, but regardless of how long, he was alive now.

His hand went unconsciously to his chest, right above his heart. He felt the tear in his shirt, examined the scar he was bearing. Any other occasion and he would've clicked his tongue at the ripped pocket, at what a chore it would be to repair it. After blinking a few times he realized the lack of contact lenses and the absent subtle tingling sensation at the back of his eyes. He felt his remaining pockets for his cellphone, or any reflective surface. There was nothing besides a small amount of cash. Wherever the money came from was definitely the least of his worries.

He inconspicuously made his way towards the small creek that ran nearby the tree. His reflection was unclear and fluctuating, but he could recognize his own face in the water. He was supposed to be dead. That's what the world, including himself, had believed. Narrowing his eyes, he focused at the rippling water, but unlike before, he saw no difference in his reflection. His eyes remained their usual dark colour. There was nothing there. His geass was gone as well.

_My geass… but how? There's no way that Suzaku could've… failed, is there?…No, of course not. Don't be irrational…But all of this breaks rational thought, doesn't it? _He continued to stare into the water as his mind raged. For something utterly uncalled for to be out of his hands and out of his control. _I remember… being in a vast and empty space. It was extremely bright… I want to say it was a meadow, but I have no recollection of it… Why do I think I was there, when I'm… _

He shook his head to clear his thoughts. There was no way he could figure anything out this way. He knew that.

While his mind turned over his next move, he stripped off his jacket, leaving only the ripped shirt. He unbuttoned the shirt and removed it before replacing the jacket and closing it. He would have to have the shirt mended. Of course, he couldn't just walk into the nearest town to do so. Another glance at his reflection in the creek reminded him of that.

Reluctantly, and seeing no other options, he placed the torn shirt on his head and configured it to cover everything but his eyes. He already had a story for anyone with the gall to ask what it was about.

And with a few preparations at the closest town, he knew where he had to go next, and whom he was searching for. Though exactly where she was now might prove to be difficult; but that is the only move he's able to make at this point.

xx

Nunnally vi Britannia's personal chambers for her stay in Japan consisted of five separate rooms connected to a hallway, which was a wing of a large building a few blocks away from the Britannian embassy in Tokyo. Her own quarters had two sets of doors leading into them with a vestibule in between, and her bodyguard Zero's quarters were connected to hers via another door on the inside. Boarding for the selected help, a room where meetings and meals were held, and a kitchen made up the remaining rooms. The hallway that connected all the rooms was wider than a standard one, but still not overly broad, and was very impersonal. The walls were gray, the doors were white, and the floor was a darker shade of gray than the walls.

Nunnally had her hands folded in her lap as she sat in her wheelchair in the hall. Her and her bodyguard waited, facing the main doors that lead into the corridor. Zero stood behind her as drawn up and stoic as usual, but his mask took most of the blame for his statuesque presence. His gloved hands were placed on the handles of her wheelchair. Nunnally's lavender eyes subconsciously glanced down to her legs, still confining her to the chair. She focused, and with a bit of effort managed to wiggle her toes in her shoes. Having the best medical technology at her disposal, as Britannian royalty would, and after an entire year of regular physical therapy, this was her accomplishment. And if anyone would ask her, Nunnally felt this was a huge victory for her. She grinned just imagining the look her brother would have sported if he had been there the first time she did it.

Her grin began to fade from her face. Just the thought of her brother reminded her what day it was, and what happened a year ago. She glanced up to Zero, remembering that it was him who'd taken her brother away from her, but in actuality it wasn't him alone. Her brother held more than his share of instigating his own termination from the earth. Zero noticed her looking up at him and kneeled by her side, placing his hand on hers comfortingly. She smiled, recognizing the familiar grip that he had, although she knew it already. After nodding at him reassuringly, the caped figure returned to his place behind her.

She wanted to have a conversation with him under her breath, for she was one of the few people that would hear his voice over the past year. She'd tried to talk with him all morning, but circumstances prevented it. After all, it was the anniversary of when he took on the role of Zero, and her brother's assassination. But when she thought of the words she wanted to say, the doors ahead of them opened and the person they were waiting for stepped into the hall.

Jeremiah Gottwald entered the threshold holding a large basket full of oranges in his arms. He wore some of the last truly formal clothes he owned after his retirement with a grin. The mechanized half of his body moved as fluidly as the rest of him, and his dark ocean-coloured hair was slick back. After giving a small bow to Nunnally, he stepped forward and spoke. "Empress Nunnally, I have come bearing gifts."

Nunnally's smile sprouted onto her face excitedly. "Oh, Jeremiah they look delicious. You didn't have to come see me personally, I'm sure you're busy this time of year. Are these from your grove?"

"But of course I had to come personally. As to deliver the first official harvest from my orange groves to Her Majesty." He presented them to her as he spoke rather casually.

She attempted to pluck the basket from his hands, but instead he helped set it in her lap because of its weight. "I have a feeling that this gift isn't just in celebration of harvest. Am I correct, Lord Jeremiah?" she giggled a bit at the exposed look on Jeremiah's face.

"It seems you've seen through me, Your Majesty." He admitted. "As today is the anniversary of Lelouch's final sacrifice to the renewed world, I felt obligated to visit you."

Nunnally nodded softly and stared down at the oranges, "Yes, thank you. Although it's been a year already, I still miss my brother very much."

Jeremiah gave the ever-silent Zero a quick glance before kneeling in front of Nunnally's wheelchair and placing his hand onto hers in an understanding gesture. "As to be expected, Your Majesty."

"I suppose," she paused, using her free hand to brush a lock of chestnut hair from her face, "but please, Jeremiah, reminiscing should be done properly." Jeremiah looked puzzled, but Nunnally smiled widely at him. "Over tea, of course. I'll ask Sayoko to help me peel some of these oranges and we shall have some. You will join us for tea, won't you, Lord Jeremiah?"

Since he was already kneeling, Jeremiah bowed his head, "When you are invited for tea with Her Majesty Nunnally, it is ungentlemanly not to accept."

Nunnally nodded affirmatively. "Great," she placed her hand on the controls to her chair and began to turn around, "I'll find Sayoko and we'll prepare the oranges. If you would excuse the wait, Lord Jeremiah." She finished as she went down the hall towards the kitchen.

When Jeremiah saw Nunnally's wheelchair disappear behind the kitchen door, he returned to his feet and faced Zero, who had remained there. "I imagine today has been particularly difficult for you as well?"

But Zero completely disregarded the question when he finally spoke, "Lord Jeremiah, I hate to ask for something like this today, but we've detained another rogue group of followers left over from Lelouch's rule. It seems they're still under the effect of Geass, and we need you to use your Geass-canceling device on them for safety reasons." To anyone that had heard Zero speak at any time from his debut to his ousting, and had kept a mental note of it, they would quickly realize that this Zero's voice was very different. That is precisely the reason he refrained from speaking in public, lest the masses discovered the truth.

Jeremiah would've liked to push his questions, but understood what was being asked of him. "There is no problem. I shall take care of the danger before my appointment with the Empress."

"Very well then," Zero answered, and began walking towards the doors Jeremiah had entered through, assuming he'd follow.

xx

There was slightly more traffic crowding the streets and trains that morning as Kallen made her way to school. The atmosphere around Tokyo was lively. All of the reconstruction was either finished or in full swing, and many people were planning to celebrate the day. For the majority of the world, today was a joyous holiday, fit for reveling. It wasn't that they were celebrating Lelouch's death, but what happened afterwards. The time of peace and renewal that followed the collapse of Lelouch's empire.

Kallen sighed a bit while she waited at the crosswalk. Part of her was rejoicing with the rest of the world, for the global collaboration was exactly what Lelouch had sacrificed for. But still, she couldn't help but feel saddened on the anniversary of his assassination. She had known him, after all. The true Lelouch, not the one the world had come to fear and despise.

Her red hair fell into her face as she crossed the street.

She knew him as a friend, as a leader. Then while she was captured, her conversations with Nunnally helped her know him as an older brother. Not her own brother, of course, but Nunnally's. In hindsight, she should've known from the start that what he showed the world was a façade. But at the time it was better for him that she didn't. All of her fighting and resistance against him wasn't an act. If she had realized that what he was doing was a charade, she wouldn't have acted that way. She knew that she wouldn't have. And he mostly likely knew it as well.

As a leader, she looked up to him, believed in him almost more than anything else. She and the rest of the Black Knights, with all of the miracles he brought about, thought he could do anything. Though Lelouch himself would never call his actions something as pretentious as 'miracles'. Because to him, they weren't miracles, they were just things others had deemed impossible.

Kallen sighed again. She put her faith in him, occasionally slapped some sense into him- literally, and she might have even fallen for him. But those emotions were something she was never given the chance to expand upon.

Her cellphone started to ring in her pocket. Reaching into her uniform jacket, she answered. "Hello? This is Kallen."

"Oh, yes," Nunnally's voice came from the phone, sounding a little nervous. "Miss. Kouzuki, if you would forgive me for being on such short notice, and for looking you up like this…"

Kallen smiled, "That's alright, Nunnally. I don't mind. Is there something you need?"

"Well not really, but I would be pleased if you would join me for tea today. Since I'm staying in Japan and I'm sure you are aware of what day it is." Nunnally explained, the nervousness disappearing. "I understand if you don't want to miss school."

"Oh, it's no problem at all!" she interjected while holding up her hands as if Nunnally could see her. "I'll definitely have tea with you. I could use a familiar face. Well, a _more_ familiar one."

If it was possible, Kallen could hear the smile on Nunnally's face. "That's great! I'll have someone escort you here in an hour. I'm looking forward to reminiscing with you, Kallen."

That was when Kallen fully understood Nunnally's invitation. "I do as well. I'll get ready and meet you in one hour." They said their goodbyes and Kallen hung up.

During the time that Kallen was held as a prisoner of war by the Britannian empire, Nunnally made it a point that she not be mistreated. The two of them would have long conversations to pass the time. And since Suzaku, Nunnally's aid at the time, didn't have the schedule nor desire to talk about her brother, she talked to Kallen instead. Kallen actually enjoyed the talks they would have, she saw that Nunnally did too, and that was what prompted Nunnally to invite her to tea on a moment's notice.

When Kallen looked up from her cellphone screen she saw the iron gates of Ashford Academy. And although she had already made it to school, she turned around and ran back the way she came, while trying her best to actually wait at the crosswalks.

xx

Zero silently led Jeremiah to a large courtyard at the center of the building. A group of several men of various ages were there, wearing white straight jackets and bound to metal stake-like pillars, as was the Britannian method. The courtyard was generally bare, understandable considering how it was used, and two other doors led into it besides the one Jeremiah and Zero entered through.

All of the soldiers were writhing and pulling at the jackets and restrains the best they could. When one man would stop to rest, the others around him would struggle further, shouting and trying to keep up morale. A waste of energy, as their morale and loyalty was perpetual. It was something they no longer had any say over.

Zero showed Jeremiah to the soldiers before heading back into the building. "I would stay to ensure there are no complications," he started, "but you're aware that I cannot afford to have my command canceled."

Jeremiah nodded, "Yes, your Geass order is something I was instructed to never alleviate."

"It is something I've accepted," the masked man spoke the words calmly, then the doors closed behind him. Jeremiah waited a few moments until he was sure Zero was out of range of the Geass Canceller's effects. He marched up to the captive soldiers and looked them over with a stern eye.

One of the soldiers leaned as forward as he was able, and then slammed himself into the pillar he was latched to, shouting obscenities the entire time. Another soldier towards the back began to yell, "We shall not fail!" His neighbor chimed in, "We have sworn absolute loyalty to His Majesty!" This prompted one near the front to start chanting "All hail Lelouch!" which resonated throughout the crowd of brainwashed soldiers.

Jeremiah gave a sympathetic nod as he activated the canceller. "Yes, you've done well, soldiers. You have served His Majesty to the best of your ability. However, you're loyalty is no longer needed here. You may have your minds returned to you at last." His blank left eye was donned with a strange piece of technology that took up a third of his face. When he released the canceller, the white of what would be his eye opened like a camera lens. It revealed a strange blue sigil that resembled a bird flying upside-down.

A wave of energy went through the courtyard, and the incessant chanting of the soldiers was cut off. All of them appeared disoriented, with their eyes staring off into the distance, lost in their own minds. Many of them wondered aloud, "What's going on?" "What am I doing?" One soldier held an expression that said he felt violated. Bending his will and forcing his loyalty? How absurd.

Jeremiah knew that canceling all of their orders to obey Lelouch would relinquish their memories back to them. They would remember everything that had happened to them, from when the orders were first cast upon them, up to this moment. Everything horrific and immoral that they had done whilst under the orders would come back to them and haunt them. And Jeremiah knew, that out of all of those who's commands had been broken, the ones who had their loyalty pilfered usually had the toughest time coming back from it.

But Jeremiah's canceller had reached someone besides the soldiers in the courtyard. Going unnoticed by anyone around, Schneizel el Britannia had stepped out of one of the remaining doors, and into the canceller's range. Schneizel stood in a daze. Everything that happened replayed in his mind: His arrogant younger half-brother Lelouch ordering him to obey Zero, and all the repercussions thereafter. He had been following Nunnally and Zero around since then, not thinking for himself. A vegetable.

How could he allow himself to be taken down like that? How could he have been defeated by Lelouch? Schneizel had never lost to him. He was always the victor. History dictated that what happened aboard the Damocles was a fluke.

But it didn't matter much now. Lelouch was dead, but Schneizel was still alive. The fool should've killed him when he had the chance.

"Oh, Prince Schneizel, I didn't notice your entrance." Jeremiah apologized and bowed respectfully.

Schneizel grinned in the usual way, hiding that his Geass command had been broken. "That's alright, Lord Jeremiah. It seems I've taken a wrong turn somewhere." He explained, although all he was thinking of Jeremiah at the moment was how much of a useless pawn he'd been. "There's somewhere I need to be. If you would excuse me."

Jeremiah nodded and Schneizel went back through the door. When he was gone, Jeremiah went to enjoy tea with the empress of Britannia. Schneizel was reported as missing a few hours later.

xx

**Author's Notes-** Excuse me for being redundant, but in this fic Lelouch did not fake his death, nor did he take Charles' or anyone's code. As of right now, the circumstances are muddled. I will drop hints every now and again, of course... but the true reason he's still alive will be explained in full detail whenever the plot sees fit. I'm sure most of this is obvious, but I like to be thorough.

Please let me know what you think! I'm always up for constructive criticism!

**And so it begins,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	3. Second Pass

**Chapter Two**

_The funeral services for Lelouch vi Britannia were held a few days following his assassination, when most of the commotion had calmed. The service was small. For obvious reasons, the mourners decided to keep it an extremely private event. There was no public statement concerning it, and it was carried out in a hidden Britannian Government building outside the capital of Pendragon. The room inside the building was completely closed off. No windows, and one set of double doors. It was definitely low-scale, considering it was the funeral of the late Emperor of Britannia. _

_But for those that had attended the ceremony, the turnout was larger than first expected. Nunnally vi Britannia and her bodyguard Zero were obvious guests, as well as Jeremiah Gottwald and Kallen Kouzuki. The surprising ones were the former Black Knights members, current Prime Minister of Japan Kaname Ohgi, and General Kyoshiro Tohdoh; Cornelia li Britannia and her knight Guilford; and even Sumeragi Kaguya and Nina Einstein had come to pay their respects. _

_The casket had been left open until the reading of the eulogy. Before that, a quick viewing procession was orchestrated, and almost everyone that passed by the open casket commented on the serene expression of the young emperor. When the eulogy had been read and condolences given, most of the mourners left. Eventually, Nunnally, Zero, Jeremiah, and Kallen were the only ones remaining. _

_Nunnally held her face into her handkerchief, sniffling. Jeremiah stood honorably, lost in his own mind, most likely giving his mental congratulations to the deceased. Kallen was standing a few yards away from the closed coffin, staring unconsciously at the shiny black surface of it. Zero stayed directly behind Nunnally's chair with his back as straight as a statue's, barely moving the entire ceremony. Suddenly, a muffled wail managed to escape the cover of Nunnally's handkerchief, startling everyone besides Zero, who showed no reaction. _

_The break in concentration gave way to a few of Kallen's tears. She clamped her eyes shut, commanding them to stop. But something bothered her. Zero bothered her. Of course, she knew he wasn't the true Zero, and he never would be. But he had killed Lelouch, and yet here he was at his funeral with no expression or movement, no sign of remorse at all. Before she knew what she was doing, she spoke up to him. "Hey, Zero," Her voice cracked, but she ignored it. Zero didn't show her any recognition, so she kept speaking. "Why don't you take that mask off? Mourning is easier as a group, don't you think?"_

_He barely turned his head to look at her, but didn't say a word. _

_"I'm sure all of us here know who you are, anyway. So there's no point in hiding it from us." Kallen stated, her eyes still watering. _

_Zero looked like he was going to disregard her, but Nunnally reached her hand behind her and grasped his hand. "Kallen is right…" she paused, biting her lip, "We… no, that's not it… I… need to see you now." He stood perfectly still, dumbstruck. Nunnally gripped his hand tighter. "Please, Suzaku…"_

_Kallen was surprised that Nunnally had come right out and spoke his name. Zero would've liked to be shocked, but mostly he was relieved. It wasn't that astonishing that they'd figured out his identity. He and Lelouch never tried to keep it a secret to certain people, because it was almost impossible to. And with a bit of inferring, those people could easily figure it out. Perhaps that was on purpose. To verify what had transpired back then._

_Zero took his hand from Nunnally's grip and placed it upon his mask. The back panels folded into each other and he pulled the mask away from his face. His fingers pulled the black cloth that covered his mouth down over his chin. Kallen and Nunnally both took immediate notice of the sheen of tears that covered his cheeks. His green eyes were still producing them even as he removed the mask. _

_Nunnally showed the smallest smile. "Oh, Suzaku," _

_Zero, or Suzaku, wiped the moisture from his face with one of his gloved hands. "It's alright Nunnally, I'm here," his voice was rough from not speaking in so long._

_"Thank you," she squeaked before crying into her handkerchief again. _

_Kallen smiled at Suzaku, glad for some reason she couldn't quite figure out. Suzaku glanced at her, not smiling, not even attempting to. She nodded reassuringly at him, and he smirked, probably because there really wasn't a suitable response for it. _

_Then Kallen started laughing in the same instant that she started crying uncontrollably. No one said anything to her. It was just something else she couldn't quite figure out._

xx

When Jeremiah entered the meeting room through the single set of doors, the three faces of Kallen, Nunnally, and her tutor Sayoko turned to him. Zero sat in his place directly beside Nunnally. His eyes could've glanced up at Jeremiah's entrance, but behind the mask, only Zero himself would know that. Sayoko and Kallen sat across from Nunnally. Directly in front of them was a luxurious array of porcelain teacups and saucers; a steaming teakettle; and many oranges, peeled, sliced, and arranged in an intricate way amongst the tea things. Kallen wore the nicest dress she could find in her wardrobe on such short notice. It was still rather casual, but it suited Kallen's character, so no one thought anything of it.

Nunnally spoke first, "Thank you for joining us, Lord Jeremiah."

"Of course Your Majesty," he bowed, "And Miss Kouzuki," he took Kallen's hand in an gentlemanly way as he addressed her, "It's been a while since I last saw you. I hope you're doing well."

Kallen began to feel a bit out of place. She was a commoner at heart, after all. "Yes, thank you, Jeremiah."

Nunnally gestured towards another seat at the small round table. "Please, sit. We were just about to get started."

"Nunnally, about these oranges," Kallen asked while Jeremiah was taking his seat, "Who sliced them? It's very… elegant."

"Oh, Sayoko and I peeled and sliced them. Jeremiah brought them from his grove just today." The girl answered, while her tutor nodded.

In actuality, Sonezaki Sayoko was another former member of the Black Knights. She had once served as a maid for both Lelouch and Nunnally, while they were living under the gauze of normal siblings at Ashford Academy. That was before Nunnally had opened her eyes, and so Sayoko was a necessity to her at that time, when she was blind. She joined the Black Knights shortly after Zero had made his debut and stirred up the resistance in Japan, or Area 11, as it was called then. After the Black Rebellion, she went into hiding in the Chinese Federation, only to return again once Zero had reappeared. She had served under Lelouch during his short time on the throne, but pretended to betray him in the midst of the Great War. It was his last request of her, which she had gladly carried out.

There was a short pause in the conversation. No one really knew how to "get started" as Nunnally had put it. Kallen took a sip of tea.

A thought suddenly struck Jeremiah, "Your Majesty, if I may ask, this room is locked, correct?"

Nunnally nodded, "Yes, it is."

"And there are no cameras or any means to see inside?"

"No, this room was made especially cryptic. As to hold specialty and confidential meetings." As she explained it, she began to see the point Jeremiah was reaching.

"I see," he then turned towards Zero, "In that case, Zero, you are free to remove your mask. You are amongst friends here."

"Yes, I think that would be suitable," Nunnally agreed and turned to her bodyguard as well. "Would you mind joining us," she paused, "Suzaku?"

Zero visibly relaxed. Though every time he removed the mask in front of anyone, he felt a twinge of guilt. It was as if he was betraying Lelouch each time he did, even though the people in the room would know his identity anyway. As he removed the specialty mask from his face he sighed, mumbling, "It can't be helped."

Nunnally smiled broadly at him, "Great, now we truly are amongst friends."

Kallen eyed Suzaku carefully from across the table. He held a dejected expression, though far less so than the last time she had seen him. But no matter how stern his features were, Kallen noticed, he still had the boyish face of when she'd first met him. Perhaps that was why he was so tightly wound, it reminded him that he still had so much left to do.

Suzaku seemed to catch her staring him down, and shifted awkwardly in his seat. At least underneath the mask he wouldn't have all of his facial expressions stripped down and analyzed. Kallen also realized that she'd been staring, and mumbled an apology. The two had known each other for almost three years now, but during that time, their paths had kept crossing in hostile ways. Whether they were friends or rivals at any given moment, now, since the drastic changes a year ago, everything was definitely awkward between them.

"Kallen," Nunnally broke through the tense atmosphere at last, "I have to ask… How is everyone at the academy? I haven't seen them in so long, so…"

The older girl grinned, "Oh, they're alright. Milly is still working in journalism and Rivalz has focused on his bartending… I believe that Nina is working with the Britannian government, if I'm not mistaken… But you would know that better than I would, right?" She laughed a bit and sipped her tea.

"That's wonderful. I'm glad to hear everyone is doing well." Nunnally's smile was sincere as she raised an orange slice to her lips.

After a short mental battle on whether or not he should say anything, Suzaku spoke up. "I didn't know Rival bartended."

Kallen nodded, "That's what I told him, but he said that he's been doing it for years…. At least as an apprentice while he was still underage."

Setting down her cup, Sayoko entered the conversation, "I believe I remember hearing about that while I was still at Ashford. He works at an establishment downtown, doesn't he?"

"I think so," she paused, "somewhere with a bar and tables to play cards and whatnot… I've only talked to him about it once."

Nunnally cocked her head to the side, "Tables for cards? Like poker?"

"Yeah, but that's not all, I'm sure." Kallen's face lit up at a sudden realization. She snapped her fingers, "That's how he and Lelouch got away with so much gambling."

Suzaku chuckled quietly, "I had always assumed that Lelouch simply found ways around that."

"I'm sure that happened plenty too." Nunnally giggled.

Jeremiah leaned back in his chair, tired of being left out of the conversation. "Gambling? At what, may I ask?"

"Chess." Suzaku and Kallen chimed in unison.

"And they managed to get quite a bit out of it," Suzaku finished, "Rivalz only worked to pay for parts for his motorcycle, but Lelouch never had to."

"But all brother ever spent money on was pizza!" Nunnally laughed again, "And Jeremiah, you don't have to be so formal. We're with friends, remember?"

Jeremiah nodded, "Of course."

"Well, about the pizza," Kallen gave the table a sidelong glance for no reason in particular, "It may have been Lelouch who was paying for it, but C.C. was definitely the one eating it."

"Oh, C.C." the empress blinked, "I haven't seen her in ages! How is she?"

Kallen inwardly scoffed, "I haven't heard from her. But I'm sure she's managing okay." It wasn't that Kallen resented C.C. for anything, but the girl was strange, immortal actually, and had an air of self-righteousness about her. At least, that's the aura Kallen received. And after living so long, and being as odd as she was, Kallen was sure that C.C. would have no problem moving on with her life, or lack thereof.

"I remember…" Nunnally glanced to the ceiling in thought, "While I still attended Ashford, I had gone into Lelouch's room to talk to him, and C.C. had spoken up as well… She said they were having a discussion about something… intimate was the word she used, much to my brother's objections." She giggled at the memory, while coincidentally, Suzaku and Kallen had taken a sip of tea the same time. Both of them sputtered a bit and had to restrain themselves to keep from spewing the tea over the table. Sayoko's face reddened a bit and she mouthed the words: 'Oh, my.' Jeremiah threw his head back and chuckled whole-heartedly, Nunnally's innocence of the situation simply being too much. "I imagine the two of them were close."

Suzaku ran his gloved fingers through his dark brown hair. "Closer than any of us had realized, apparently."

Kallen shook her head wildly, "No, no! I'm sure it was just a misunderstanding."

Nunnally's concerned expression told everyone that she didn't want to think any differently of the memory. She didn't want her ignorance to be spoiled, if there was even anything that could spoil it.

Meanwhile, Suzaku wasn't really paying attention anymore. He was mumbling to himself, trying to connect the dots in his head, though they didn't match up. "'Accomplice', huh? Is that what they're calling it these days?"

Kallen, upon overhearing him, burst into exuberant laughter, and although Nunnally didn't exactly understand what was so funny, she was glad. Being able to talk about her brother in this sort of light and airy presence wasn't very common. Having her friends here to make it happen was even greater to her. She usually didn't talk so carelessly with Suzaku, as he had the role of Zero to uphold, and she hadn't seen Kallen or Jeremiah in months. But while Sayoko would talk with her at times, she mostly remained a tutor.

That was perfectly alright, though, because if she still had days like these to look forward to she didn't mind it at all.

For the rest of the time, everyone talked a about a range of topics. There was talk of the past, the happenings of now, and much more laughter. The time of awkward silences and pauses had come to pass, and none of them had even noticed it.

In the midst of conversation, a buzzer sounded throughout the room. Nunnally and Suzaku quickly looked up to the doors. The latter slipped the mask back over his face to become Zero, Nunnally's bodyguard. The young empress cleared her throat and spoke to the still closed doors. "Yes? What is it?" When the doors finally opened, a member of the Britannian Military swooped into the room and went immediately to Nunnally's side. The soldier spoke in a hushed tone to her. Just loud enough for Zero to hear, but quiet enough to keep the rest in the dark.

Nunnally's lips parted in a gasp. "Where was the last place he was seen? How long ago?"

The soldier didn't answer, because he couldn't. Zero stood up fast. The information alarmed him.

After a short pause, the empress sighed. "I'm terribly sorry, but it seems our tea time will be cut short. I look forward to talking like this with all of you again." She turned to address the soldier, "Please have someone escort them out, except Sayoko of course." The soldier nodded and hurried to perform his orders. Nunnally turned her lavender eyes back to her guests disappointedly. "I truly am sorry. I wanted to continue our gathering for a bit longer, but something has happened, and I must attend to it. Goodbye Kallen, Jeremiah. I'll see you in a bit, Sayoko."

With her goodbyes said, Zero escorted her out of the room without a word to speak of for himself, leaving all of the guests wondering what exactly was going on.

xx

Lelouch frowned at the homburg that sat atop his head. He was standing in front of a small mirror at the back of a tiny retail shop. The torn shirt was thrown over his shoulder, and his collar was upturned, as to shield the lower portion of his face from the elderly storeowner. The owner paid no mind to him though. He was almost completely engrossed in the crossword puzzle from that day's newspaper.

The shop was a very quaint one situated near the center of a small town in the countryside. It mostly served as a second-hand store, but there were still a few new items to be found there. The town itself was only made up of several blocks, but the train passed through it, and kept it up throughout the years. Entering the town had helped Lelouch pinpoint his location. He was still in Japan, and not too far from Tokyo.

The owner grunted and tapped his pencil against the sales counter, staring at the crossword. Since he was stumped on a word, he suddenly remembered there was someone in his store. He didn't even look up from the puzzle when he spoke, "So, uh, young man, what did you say the reason was for wearing that shirt like you were?"

Lelouch inwardly sighed. He could tell the old man was striking up a conversation to be polite, but he didn't particularly want to explain for a second time something he had no proof of. "Oh, it's just some minor burns," he started with a light voice he hadn't used since he attended Ashford. "There was a fire, you know? It's really nothing, but the doctors say to keep it out of the sun."

The owner seemed to be barely listening. He nodded, "Uh-huh. Those doctors, they seem to make up new guidelines everyday." Then he suddenly started scribbling on the crossword puzzle.

Lelouch disregarded him, and studied his reflection in the mirror. He figured that if he could keep his jacket collar upturned, and his face down at the right angle, he would be virtually unrecognizable. No one would be looking for him among a crowd, or even walking down the street alone, so there was no real worry. At least he hoped. "How much do you want for this homburg?" he pointed to the hat without breaking his gaze at the mirror. He didn't break it because he was once again attempting to activate his geass, but also once again it was fruitless.

Glancing up, the older man hummed thoughtfully before suggesting a price. Lelouch searched his pockets and produced the correct amount of cash. He hesitated at first; it took almost half of what he had, wherever it came from. After purchasing his disguise he asked the old man about a place to have the torn shirt mended, and the old man directed him to another shop a few blocks down from where they were.

Just as he was leaving, the old man instructed him to be careful, as it would be dark in an hour or two. That struck Lelouch as odd, but assumed that the old man had mistaken him for being younger than he actually was. All he hoped for was that perhaps he would have enough money leftover to at least buy a newspaper.

xx

In the opposite wing of the building that also held Nunnally's chambers, the empress and her bodyguard were entering a large meeting room with the top officials of the Britannian government. Amongst the officials stood Cornelia li Britannia, the figurehead of the reformed Britannian Armed Forces as well as Nunnally's older half-sister.

Along with her as always was her knight Guilford. His eyesight may not have always been perfect, he was always seen wearing glasses, but now it was even worse. The repercussions of being caught in a FLEIJA blast had badly damaged his eyes. So much so that he had to wear large, dark sunglasses for many months. He was even temporarily blind at one point, and used a walking stick to get around. But not even almost losing his sight would keep him from remaining at Cornelia's side.

When she entered the room, Nunnally held a distraught look. "I need a status report. What's going on? Give me all of the details." Zero stood at attention behind her.

Cornelia grabbed a stack of papers from the large wooden table in the center of the room. She sighed, "There isn't much information to give, Your Majesty."

"Cornelia," Nunnally suddenly spoke very sternly.

The older woman looked up from the papers, surprised. "Yes?"

"We decided that you would address me as 'Nunnally', remember?" she smiled, "You're much older than me, aren't you?"

"Of course, Nunnally," Cornelia sighed in relief, "But as for information, there's almost none at this point in time. I have some of my best men out searching the building and surrounding areas."

The empress nodded, "How did this happen? How was he able to leave the building without my knowledge?"

"No one knows for sure," she flipped through the papers, "The last person to see him was part of security, a driver of one our government vehicles. He claims that Schneizel instructed him to take him to the Britannian embassy, to take care of some business by your orders."

Nunnally set her jaw, "I never gave him any orders."

"That much is obvious. You had been having tea for hours when the guard says Schneizel came to him." Cornelia dropped the papers onto the table again. They fell into a messy pile. "Unfortunately, when we contacted the embassy they said the he had never set foot into the building. They have security testimony and video to verify it. And until we can confirm that the driver left Schneizel where he claims, there's no basis for hacking into the city's cameras, ATM or otherwise."

"I see," she bit her lip thoughtfully. Schneizel was nowhere to be found. It was definitely strange. Her brother had cast an order upon him to always obey Zero, who was her bodyguard, and couldn't have told him to leave the building. Maybe it was some bizarre coincidence; that Schneizel had mistaken something Zero said to him. But Nunnally knew that the chances of that were very slim.

Zero's thoughts were racing. He was imagining all of the worst possible scenarios to explain Schneizel's disappearance. He was thinking there was nothing that could be done about it. Could his Geass command have been broken somehow? That was the worst thought of them all. He could be a catalyst to destroy everything. The world would be thrown into a state of chaos once again, regardless of how hard they had worked to preserve the future.

Nunnally gripped her skirts in her fists at her lap, "I was hoping to have Schneizel there for the negotiations tomorrow, as the two of you are more experienced in diplomacy than I am."

Cornelia placed her hand on her forehead, "God knows where he could be. I'd hate to see what would happen if he suddenly decided to betray us."

Cornelia's comment caused Zero to flinch, ever so slightly. Nunnally's hands tightened around her skirt, "I hope that's not the case. Cornelia, I want you to head to some sort of headquarters, tell all of your men to increase the search. Schneizel has to be found." The older woman nodded before leaving the meeting room, beckoning Guilford and the others to follow.

When they were gone, Nunnally mumbled to no one in particular, "Whatever could've happened? I don't want to expect the worst…" Zero's hand went comfortingly to her shoulder, but she only tangled her fingers deeper in the fabric of her clothes. "What does this mean? What am I supposed to do about this? What do I do…?" her eyes blinked heavily, "All of this time I've known, but now I'm not so… This is different. This is important, very important. I don't want to be dependent on everyone forever, but I…" Zero's grip tightened on her shoulder. She clenched her eyes shut tight, "Oh, big brother, how we need you right now…"

Inside the mask, Zero's eyes shut as well. He knew she was right. But he also knew that it was impossible.

xx

**Author's Notes-** I giggle every time I imagine Lelouch wearing a homburg... it's just so silly! Very little of him in this chapter, though. Oh well, he pretty much dominates the next one.

**Until we meet again,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	4. Third Pass

**Chapter Three**

Dusk began settling upon the town as Lelouch stepped out of the small mending and alterations shop. The now mended shirt was no longer hanging over his shoulder, but he only had a small amount of money left in his pocket. He would have to find some way to get more, if he was going anywhere. But with night fast approaching, he wasn't too worried about it then.

Down the street, on the same block, sat a tiny café. The inside lights were on, and a few newsstands dotted the sidewalk in front of it. He pulled the hat further down over his eyes before buying a newspaper and stepping inside the café. Directly in front of the entrance inside, a middle-aged Japanese woman was working behind the register. Her body and face were thin, but her hair had yet to turn gray, and she projected a happy and energetic aura.

As the door swung shut behind him, the woman glanced up from the counter and smiled warmly at him. "Welcome to our café. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Lelouch paused, wondering if he should chance purchasing something, but ended up fishing out his remaining cash for some coffee. If the small bit of money he actually had was going to go to anything worthwhile, it might as well be nourishment.

The cashier accepted the money and began making the order, her smile never falling from her face. She finished preparing the coffee and handed it to him, "Here you go. Thank you."

He nodded to her and walked further into the café, sitting at a slightly secluded table off to the side. There were only two other people in the café along with him, besides the friendly cashier. A Japanese man, around the same age as the cashier and wearing an apron with the café's name printed on it, was sitting a few tables over from Lelouch, while a well-dressed, older Britannian man sat across from the Japanese man. The Japanese man seemed to be the owner of the café, and the cashier his wife. You could tell that the Britannian was one of the previous nobility by the way he carried himself and looked down at the Japanese man. And he obviously still had trouble accepting that he was no better than the man across from him. Lelouch opened the newspaper and tried to ignore it.

The two were playing chess, and it was obviously not a friendly game. The Japanese man leaned forward over the board, intently concerning his next move. The Britannian man, however, didn't feel like giving his opponent the time, and started fidgeting impatiently. "Common, common, I don't have all night."

Lelouch found himself stealing glances at the board between sips of coffee. Not three seconds later, the Japanese man made his move. Lelouch smirked behind the Styrofoam cup. It was the right move.

Now it was the Britannian man's turn to lean over the board. He was clearly irritated.

But what caught Lelouch's attention more than the match were the stories in the newspaper. Apparently, he had woken up from what he'd presumed to be death exactly one year after he was assassinated. It was ironic, to say the least. But it still didn't explain anything.

He read about the state of calm that happened after the Zero Requiem. It was exactly what he and Suzaku had planned. Further along, the growing unrest in the EU was covered, which he had partially expected, but Nunnally's reaction to the situation was a good one. It was especially good for him, because that meant he had a small chance of reaching her. Even though the last thing he wanted, or needed, was drawing attention to himself.

Suddenly the Japanese man plunked down his piece and proudly announced, "Checkmate." The Britannian man moved his face closer to the board as if he had trouble seeing it. Now he wasn't irritated, he was full-blown outraged.

"Impossible!" he bellowed, "There's no way I could lose to the likes of you."

The café owner smiled triumphantly. "I'm terribly sorry, but it seems you have. Now if you don't mind, I-"

The other man stood up, knocking his seat over. "Oh, I know. You want your winnings, is that it?"

"Well, yes, I'm entitled to them, am I not?" Now the Japanese man also stood up. He was a good deal shorter than the Britannian man.

His opponent smirked gruesomely at him, "Not when you break the rules of the deal, I'm afraid."

This gave the storeowner pause. "What do you mean?"

"Well I can't pay you your winnings if you cheated me," he chuckled. "That voids our agreement."

Lelouch gave the pair a sidelong glance. He seemed to recall being accused of that at some point in time.

"I never cheated you. I'm an honest man, trying to earn some extra money to help my establishment." The Japanese man gestured to the café they were standing in. "It's you who's trying to cheat me. Don't be a sore loser about it and pay me what I'm owed."

The Britannian man glared down at the storeowner, so he was looming over him. "I owe you nothing, you swindling Japanese."

The smaller man shrunk back a bit, but his expression showed that if he weren't so clearly outmatched, he wouldn't stand it. From behind the cash register, his wife gave the two wary glances.

Lelouch stayed in his seat having an internal argument with himself. He knew he shouldn't get involved; that any attention he drew also brought the risk of being discovered. Since even he didn't understand what was going on, or how he was there to begin with, there was no way he could explain it to someone else. And if he did manage to conjure some sort of bluff for his situation, he doubted anyone would believe it. No matter how convincing he acted.

But this was exactly what irked him about the old nobility. They had this sense of entitlement that never seemed to fade, or stop them from trying to get away with whatever they pleased.

Without giving himself a chance to rethink it, and going against all of his better judgment, he stood. He kept his face lowered, but spoke with the booming and empowering voice he had always used as Zero. "It's sickening," he paused, the two bickering men turned to look at him, "The hierarchal class-system was abolished, wasn't it? Yet you seem to hold yourself above the masses anyway."

The Britannian man took a heavy step towards him, appalled. He was a few inches taller than Lelouch, and so all he could see of the interjector's face was the smug smirk he sported beneath the brim of his hat. "Do you have some business with me, boy?"

Lelouch scoffed, "Not quite."

"Then I suggest you keep it that way. Our dealings," he gestured towards the storeowner, who was shocked that a total stranger was assisting him, "are not your business."

"Dealings?" he laughed once, "If cheating an honest man out of his money is considered dealings. However you-"

The man smoothed out his jacket pompously, "Well then, if you think you can convince me otherwise... Perhaps I'll overlook the café manager's transgressions. What do you say, boy?" The sick grin on his face proved how confident he was.

Lelouch's smirk deepened. "That's precisely what I was hoping you'd say."

The Britannian man frowned at his answer, and the storeowner shakily reset the board before moving into the background. "So boy," he spat a label Lelouch was quickly growing tired of, "Why is your face covered up like that? Running from the police? The mob?" He chuckled.

"Something like that." The Britannian man gave him a look as they both sat down, then he laughed.

"Is that so? Well how about I make this more interesting? If you win, I give the owner his winnings. That's a given. But if I win, how about you get rid of that little disguise and let me see your face? I might've seen it on a milk carton somewhere." He began to laugh at his own joke, or lack thereof.

"That certainly makes things interesting," he paused, still smirking, "though I have no intention of losing."

"Hmph, if that's the case, why do you bother yourself with helping this Japanese?" he gestured again to the café owner, and spoke the word 'Japanese' with such malice that it was clearly a replacement word- since 'Eleven' had become obsolete. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Japanese man had made his way over to his wife. They both remained silent.

Lelouch picked up a black pawn and examined it with a scowl. "I simply despise those who mistake wealth and power for actual ability." This earned him another look from the Britannian man. He placed his piece on the board.

Glowering, the man picked up his own piece and stamped it into a square. "Well, we'll just see about that."

X

After a swift battle across the board, and as the Japanese man had also done before him, Lelouch placed his piece and pronounced, "Checkmate," much to the Britannian man's dismay. "It seems you've lost." He spoke with a triumphant, almost cocky grin on his face.

The other man cleared his throat. "It appears that way," he admitted. Without a word, but a disgruntled look about him, he stood and went over to the cash register. The café owner stepped towards him expectantly, and the Britannian man reached into his pockets. "I know when I've been beaten." Then he handed the owner his deserved winnings, which were graciously accepted.

Lelouch stood as well and eyed the man suspiciously. He had been convinced too easily.

As the Britannian man crossed back over to Lelouch, his eyes held an ulterior motive. The man stepped so close that his shadow cast over him. He lowered his voice menacingly, "But boy, perhaps you should learn when you have." With his threat made, he exited the café. It was no longer too easy.

Had he been alone, Lelouch would've thrown his head back and laughed at the man. He had just woken up from death not a few hours ago! Some idle threat by an old-world Britannian noble was completely hysterical! But the two people's presence by the register helped him think better of it.

After the café manager counted the money in his hands, he took a step towards the stranger with a smile on his face. "Thank you, young man. That dreadful man has cheated me for quite some time now." His wife stood a few paces behind him, nodding.

Lelouch stared out of the darkened windows of the café. "He was hardly someone I'd call an opponent."

Now the man nodded, "Yes, that's true… but please, if there's any way I could repay you for your help…" he trailed off.

"Actually," he started, but the manager suddenly interjected.

"Wait. Before I forget…" the manager laughed softly at some unknown joke, then he counted out half of his winnings and held the money out to Lelouch. "Here. You deserve this just as much as I do. If I'm not able to do you any other favor, I'll know I gave you this at least."

Lelouch put up his hands to refuse, "No, I mean, he's not worth anything like that. I was going to ask if you knew of anywhere I could stay for the night."

The manager looked like he was going to insist that he take the money. His wife quickly moved in between the two, "Yes we do, actually." She turned to her husband, smiling. "Dear, he could stay in the vacant rooms upstairs." Now the manager put on a thoughtful look as her attention turned again, "It's like a small apartment, the rooms are sparsely furnished in order to rent them out. But I'm sure you wouldn't mind staying there for tonight since they're vacant." Lelouch hesitated, unsure, and she noticed it. "It's completely separate from our home, which is directly above the kitchen." She pointed towards the kitchen ceiling, at the rear of the building.

Finally the manager spoke again, "That's perfect. I won't allow you to refuse this- even if it ends up with you doing me another favor by staying here. I will sleep better knowing that I repaid you for my earlier situation…" Then he handed his wife the money and turned to show his beneficiary upstairs. As he had promised, he didn't give Lelouch the chance to refuse his generosity. His wife's smile softened when he passed through the doorway.

After at last conceding to the couple's charity, Lelouch started to follow the café manager, but before he could get very far, the wife gently caught his arm. He turned to see her face, all the while trying to keep his hidden, but she wasn't even looking at him. She kept her eyes lowered and somewhere else, probably respecting his privacy. That was surprising enough, but then she forced the money her husband had previously offered him into his hands.

"What are you-?"

"Please take this." Although her eyes were downcast, she was still smiling. "It's the least we can do for your help, but I suppose you don't realize how much you've helped us today. You know, young man, you remind me of someone… but now I believe my memory's failed me. It wasn't even that long ago!" she laughed. "Perhaps I can't seem to put a face to the memory because I never saw it to begin with."

Lelouch wasn't sure if she meant the someone's face or the memory itself. Before he could ask about it, or even thank her, she went into the back of the café to lock up.

xx

Nunnally was sitting up in her bed when the closing door obscured her view of Zero. It had taken much prodding, suggesting, and insisting, but Zero had finally managed to convince her to retire for the night. When she had told him that there was still too much left to do, he simply instructed to leave any further deliberation to him. While Nunnally couldn't deny that she was tired, she knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep. Schneizel's sudden disappearance weighed too heavily on her mind, even though Zero promised to take care of it.

She glanced at the clock by her bed. It was late. She and Zero had been collaborating with Cornelia and her top-ranked officials about the situation since late afternoon, and before she knew it, it had gotten this late. No wonder Zero was so tenacious about her getting some rest. He was right, she thought. The meeting with the heads of the Japanese Government—her entire reason for being in Japan—was tomorrow. She needed sleep, but she doubted it would come to her easily.

A book was lying open on her lap, and she examined it with a sigh. She let her fingertips glide over the smoothly printed words as if they were Braille, although she could see perfectly clearly. Her eyes shut as she leaned back on the headboard.

The entire mood of the day had gone downhill so quickly. One minute she's enjoying tea with her friends, happily reminiscing about her brother, but the next she's hurdled into throes of anxiousness on account of her older half-brother suddenly vanishing. It was times like this when she missed her brother the most. When she needed him there to guide her to the right choice. He always seemed to know what to do. But now she was alone, and had to figure out where to turn for herself.

Schneizel's disappearance was something completely unprecedented. In some subconscious, unconventional way, she felt that she could blame herself. She should've been prepared. She should've thought of everything that could've gone wrong, and thought of ways to counter it. That's what her brother would've done.

It was Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong, will. Therefore, she should have a plan ready for this happening, but she didn't, and that's what she felt guilty over.

But the logical part of her kept reminding her: She couldn't be expected to think of everything. Especially this, which even caught Zero off-guard. Nothing was guaranteed. But in order to not over-exert oneself, there had to be some surefire variables in a situation. At least as a basis to build preparations for any scenarios that could arise.

Regardless of who was to blame, and how it happened, it had happened. Now she had to deal with it as a sensible sovereign. And no matter how badly she wished for her brother, he couldn't be by her side. No amount of pretty words or tears could put him there either. She had found that out much earlier, when his absence was still too close to her. How she had cried when he was taken away from her. She had only recently begun to come to terms with it, or so she had thought. But after the recent turn of events, she felt that she needed him with her now more than ever.

With a sigh, Nunnally abruptly shut her book to break off her thoughts. She placed the book on the nightstand and shut off the lights before lying down on the bed completely. Hopefully sleep wasn't too far away from her. She closed her eyes to try and grasp it, mumbling softly, calmly. "Tell me Lelouch, what would you do in my situation?"

She didn't expect him to answer.

xx

The homburg plopped onto the tiny table sitting beside the lone window of the room. Lelouch silently stared out the window through the parted blinds. The rooms consisted of three parts: Bedroom, bathroom, and an open space that held the front door and kitchen appliances. The rooms were placed in the rear of the building, so right outside the lone window was a narrow slab of pavement for deliveries and dumpsters. Beyond the pavement was grass, which quickly lead to a steep drop- and embankment for the small river below.

As he moved his attention back to the room, Lelouch remembered that the Japanese woman had said it was "sparsely furnished." She wasn't lying on that note. In the kitchen there was a refrigerator and stove, then there was a small sofa that sat next to the aforementioned table, and in the bedroom there was a single bed. The woman had provided him with a stack of sheets and blankets, but they were lying at the foot of the still unmade bed. He didn't plan on using them. He didn't plan on sleeping at all. How could he? He still had no idea what was going on.

He stripped off his jacket and laid it next to the homburg. The money that the café manager's wife had given him was folded up in his jacket pocket. He truly had no intention of taking any of the man's winnings, but they insisted to the point of forcing it on him, and he couldn't deny that he needed it. That made it all the easier to buy a train ticket.

Exasperated, he sat on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling. He had all night to gather his thoughts, though he doubted it was possible. There were so many thoughts to gather, and not enough information. He rested his hand on his forehead. Throughout his life, many bizarre and downright unbelievable things may have happened to him, but this was absolutely the most unfathomable thing he could ever hope to imagine.

Exactly one year ago, he had been killed. He remembered it vividly. Suzaku, with the persona of Zero, plunging the sword into his heart. It had happened. He knew that for sure. Regardless of what the world knew, or what the papers said. The memory was far too real to be a fabrication. But then why was he there now? Living, breathing, and sitting above a small café in a small town just a train-ride away from Tokyo, wondering what happened? And even his Geass was gone. That made things several times more difficult.

Of all the things he couldn't figure out, he knew what he was doing next, and hopefully that would provide him with some answers. But to step forward at all, he had to get to Tokyo. He would leave tomorrow.

That only left tonight, and since he didn't plan on sleeping, he would have to writhe with the frustration of not knowing what was going on.

X

Lelouch suddenly awoke with a start. The distinct sound of breaking glass roused him and brought him to his feet. He looked at the clock. A few hours had past, and it wouldn't be long until sunrise. He had fallen asleep. After mentally cursing himself, he vigilantly stepped towards the window to look out of it. But from his vantage point at the back of the building, he couldn't see anything.

The sound of more glass breaking. It was coming from the front of the café, most likely the downstairs area. Though he had no idea what was happening, he didn't plan on waiting to find out.

No longer being cautious about noise, he threw on his jacket and grabbed the homburg from the table. He could hear the footsteps of a few people downstairs while he drew up the mini-blinds and opened the window. After kicking out the screen, he leaned over the windowsill to see what was below. Almost directly beneath the window was a dumpster with its lid closed. If he wanted to reach it, for any chance of a safe landing, he would have to jump. There would also be a loud noise from him hitting the dumpster itself, he thought. So he would have to be able to get up and run.

Just as he threw his legs over the side of the windowsill, the heavy footfalls of someone clamoring up the stairs caught his attention. He readied himself for the jump and wondered: since he had basically risen from the grave, could he possibly be any more athletic? Less prone to injury? He had never been the most athletic person, but really, he had survived death. No amount of push-ups can train you for that.

Someone started beating on his door. Not knocking, but like they were trying to break it down.

He realized that he had no more room for hesitation. With one final push forward, he fell from the window and towards the closed dumpster. One of his hands held the homburg securely on his head. He did actually manage to hit the dumpster, but was unable to keep his balance on top of it. When his feet landed on the heavy plastic lid, one of them was at an awkward angle and caused him to tip and fall off of the dumpster entirely. He lied on his back for a moment, staring up at the sky. Even though he was technically supposed to be dead, he did not gain any sort of athletic ability out of it. Not that he really expected to anyway.

He could hear shouting coming from inside. That was enough incentive for him to scramble to his feet and run down the backstreet. There was an alleyway a few buildings over, and he ducked inside, leaning against the wall to blend in with the darkness.

It didn't take much inferring to figure out who was after him: The old-world Britannian man that had tried to cheat the Japanese man. Since there was obviously more than one person breaking into the café, Lelouch figured that the Britannian was some sort of mafia. As if being an ex-noble wouldn't inflate his ego enough, he was also a mob boss. But still, concerning his situation, Lelouch found it humourous.

Some sort of commotion was happening up the street. Lelouch could make out at least two different male voices, but couldn't understand what they were saying. Before long he heard more footsteps. Someone running. Getting closer.

Lelouch pressed his back against the wall in the alley, not making a sound. Not three seconds later two men ran past the entrance to the alley and kept going, only giving it a passing glance. Lelouch released the breath he'd been holding.

It was odd that they didn't bother to check the alleyway, he thought. They didn't even stop running.

When he felt that it was safe to move, he slowly crept to the end of the alley and peeked around both corners. The backstreet was deserted at the moment. He could try to cross the river from here, going down the bank and back up again, but there were too many things that could go wrong with it. If he was remembering right, there was a bridge a few blocks from where he was, which was more reliable. He needed to cross the river to get to the train station. It probably wouldn't be long until the first train, so he needed to hurry- just in case.

But while Lelouch was thinking, his arms were suddenly pulled back behind him and his face was pressed into the alley wall. The taller man that had grabbed him shoved his body closer to the wall with a sick laugh. He pulled out his cellphone, dialed, and darkly spoke into it, "Got 'em." The person on the other end responded, then hung up. Lelouch squirmed, struggled, but the man had him pinned with a painful force. About a minute after the phone call ended, two more men appeared at the end of the alley. The man that was pining him against the wall grabbed his arms again, which were still pulled around behind him, and jerked him away from the wall and towards the other two. Lelouch recognized the man on the right immediately; the Britannian man from the café.

The Britannian man grinned at him, "Well, if it isn't my friend from earlier. You can consider this me paying you your winnings from our match."

Lelouch smirked mockingly, "All of this for losing a little chess game?"

"Oh it's much more than that, boy," he spat. "You see, those two have been clients of mine for quite some time, and now, well, thanks to you, I can no longer conduct business with them."

"What a shame,"

The man frowned and reached into his jacket pocket, "You should watch what you say, boy. Read the atmosphere." He revealed a handgun from the pocket and pointed it at Lelouch. "If you know what's good for you." Lelouch paused, stunned for a moment. The Britannian man mistook it for fear. "But before we get down to business, I have to get a good look at you. See if you're some rich man's son. You might fetch a pretty ransom."

This time he couldn't stifle it. Lelouch started laughing at the man, who stood there, utterly appalled.

He cocked the gun in Lelouch's face, but he still laughed. "And what is so funny, boy?"

His laughter slowly faded. "Go ahead, take a good look at my face," he lowered his voice, "But I guarantee that you'll be so frightened you'll wish you had shot me already."

The Britannian man looked unimpressed. "What is that supposed to mean? You the Phantom of the Opera or something?" Lelouch didn't answer. He was challenging him. "Alright, boy, let's see what you look like. Then we'll see who's scared and running home to mommy." The man grinned a second time while Lelouch still remained silent. After a moment, the man grunted irritably at the blatant insubordination and brought the barrel of his gun under the brim of Lelouch's hat. He flicked his wrist up and the homburg came off of Lelouch's head and fell to the pavement.

Then the Britannian man dropped his gun.

Eyes wide, he stumbled backwards a few steps, at a loss for words. His companion that hadn't spoken the entire time backed up as well. Lelouch heard the man standing behind him mutter, "What the-?" before releasing his arms as if he could kill simply through physical contact.

Lelouch nonchalantly brushed himself off and reached for the discarded gun. The Britannian man still hadn't said a word. "Well?" Lelouch smirked while examining the weapon.

"Th- that's impossible." The man stammered. "You're dead." Lelouch cocked his head to the side a bit as if to say 'Oh?' "I know it. I watched it happen!"

"Well, that's quite a coincidence," he started, and then put the barrel of the gun to the man's forehead, causing the other two to flinch instinctively. "So did I."

"Wait! Wait!" he shouted, holding his hands in front of him defensively and pleading for his life. "If you really are who I think you are- then you should understand my situation!"

Lelouch's eyes narrowed, "You've misunderstood."

Now the man gave a nervous laugh that was trying to be confident. "Is that so? Then there's no difference in today from yesterday. You're doing me no favors by being alive."

He set the gun to fire while it was still an inch from the man's face. "Ridding the world of scum like you is what I live for." The Britannian put on a surprised face just as Lelouch pulled the trigger. The bullet buried itself in the man's skull and the force of it caused him to fall backwards, hard, onto the pavement of the alleyway. Lelouch didn't care if what he had just said was in any way cliché or melodramatic, because for all he knew, it was true.

The second man stood in a stupor, his boss's corpse lying motionless at his feet in a puddle of blood. Just as what transpired began to register in his mind, he found himself with a gunshot wound of his own to sport. Straight to the heart. Blood purged from his injury for a drawn-out moment, and he crumpled onto the ground beside his boss.

Lelouch kept his face stern, but still rather deadpan. He turned on his heel to deal with the third man, but he was gone. A wave of panic quickly passed over him, and just a quickly left. He couldn't lose his head now of all times. Taking a deep breath, he listened to the silence of the street. That silence didn't last very long. He heard someone groan as if in pain. It didn't come from the two behind him, he knew. They were definitely dead. He moved out of the alley and towards the edge of the embankment, making sure to grab his homburg.

When he leaned over the edge of the drop, he could scarcely make out the figure of the third man lying at the bottom. The man had been so stunned that he walked backwards, without watching, and fell right down into the river below. Lelouch tossed the gun into the river as well. He wouldn't have to worry about the third attacker either.

The day was breaking. He needed to get to the train station. Placing the homburg back atop his head, he made a run for it. He could sleep on the ride to Tokyo.

xx

**Author's Notes- **It's a day later than I planned, but it's been one hell of a week...

**More cameos next chapter,**

_**-Destiny**_


	5. Fourth Pass

**Chapter Four**

The sun had just begun creeping over the horizon. The waves in the water reflected the light onto the tall buildings of the city of Tokyo. From her vantage point high within a skyscraper, Milly Ashford watched the morning light dance with the waters of the bay all the way to the horizon.

She tucked a lock of golden hair behind her ear and sighed with relief. The previous day hadn't been easy. Not only had she known Lelouch in the past, but the network wanted her to cover his story from the FLEIJA memorial site. Her, their new TV news-anchor personality. She had to admit, it was a wonderful opportunity for her career as a reporter, but still…

She had met Lelouch and Nunnally when she was thirteen. Her family had taken in the siblings after the Second Pacific War, when Britannia had taken control of Japan. To the Britannian Royal Family, the two of them had died in that war, but truthfully, they had taken on their mother's maiden name and the Ashford family harbored them in their academy as normal students. Since Milly's grandfather was the principal of the academy, and the siblings lived in said academy, she grew very close to them.

Milly had even developed quite a crush on Lelouch that stayed with her throughout high school. Of course, Lelouch was completely oblivious to this. She even made it painfully obvious to the entire school her senior year. But she didn't come right out and say it, so he must've assumed it was just her picking on him. She did do that rather often.

So her news coverage on the anniversary of his assassination had shaken her. She had always known that he was a member of the royal family, but she thought that he'd rather die than go back to it. In fact, he might've said those exact words to her long ago. He didn't want any part of it. For him, or his younger sister.

The press gathered for a conference last year, all of them expecting an announcement from the ninety-eighth emperor Charles zi Britannia- Lelouch's father- who had been missing for four months. Everyone expected Charles- including Milly, who was very new to the business and worked mostly behind the cameras at the time. She stared incredulously at the monitor when Lelouch took the throne. And with Suzaku's help, he gained control of an empire within a matter of minutes.

She would continuously gape at the TV screen through the following months. The tyrant she saw on the television was not her old friend. She knew that. She just couldn't believe it.

And when she witnessed his death, she cried. They were bitter tears. And she knew that she would be only one of a small group of people that would cry for him. But someone had to. She was practically obligated to cry.

At the moment the sword pierced him, she knew it was all on purpose. Not many would, but she did. That's why her tears were bitter. What a waste of a life.

But when he stumbled forward, blood soaking him all over, and fell off the platform to where his little sister was, she understood. Milly knew the difference between knowing and understanding. It wasn't a waste. He had a goal. And Milly didn't know what that goal was at the time, but she understood that he had achieved it.

She turned away from the horrific scene and cried. At his funeral, she cried some more. And yesterday after the broadcast, she cried again. If she cried any more she feared that her eyes would dry up. That she would cry the blue right out of them.

Everyone in the media made Lelouch up to be some sort of evil incarnate. And as much as Milly wanted to protest, she couldn't. Because she knew it was vital. So she did the story and it went well. Then there was still more work to do afterwards. She stayed in her office and worked all through the night so she could have the day off. Now it was morning. She was tired. A few hours of sleep would do her well.

With the sun hanging just above the water, she gathered all of her things and tucked her chair under her desk. She would go home and rest through the morning, and in the afternoon she would pay a visit to Rivalz. She wanted to visit him yesterday but her job got in the way of it. So she would call upon him today, to get back in touch. They were old classmates. They could reminisce.

The thought of her classmates caused her to absent-mindedly glance at her bulletin board. A small picture of the Ashford Academy Student Council was tacked onto it. It was taken during her senior year. The happy faces of Kallen, Nina, Suzaku, Nunnally, Lelouch, Rivalz, Shirley, and her own stared back at her. If only they could go back to that moment, she thought.

She had always been a nostalgic person, but the wave of nostalgia that hit her then was so great that she almost believed it could truly happen.

xx

He held his hands above his head, as he was instructed. The wind ripped at his uniform and had blown off his cap a long while ago. His knees were shaking horribly at the open door. The clouds outside parted and revealed the vast expanse of ocean beneath them. The roar of the airplane engines could barely be heard above the cacophony of the wind.

"Please, oh heaven, please help me…" The pilot chanted to himself. He knew better than to ask for mercy, because mercy was not something His Highness knew of. The barrel of a gun pushed into his back, urging him forward. Schneizel stood behind the gun with a devilish grin on his face. The rush of wind barely disturbed his posh clothes and blonde hair.

"I appreciate you teaching me how to fly this plane," he said, his violet eyes gleaming.

The other man shuddered, "Then why are you doing this to me?"

"It is necessary," he shrugged. "Don't take it personally. Consider that you will become part of the beginning of a chain of events."

"I won't even bother asking what you mean by that…"

"Very well then," Schneizel forced the gun further into the man's back. "Are you going willingly or shall I shoot you now? I'll leave the decision to you."

The pilot gritted his teeth. He saw death either way… but he would rather die by impact than by Schneizel's hand. So he leaped from the plane and fell to the waves below. Schneizel huffed. He thought the pilot would've been too cowardly for that option. But he didn't mind. He didn't have to dirty his hands with it.

After shutting the door and tucking the gun back into his coat, he seated himself in the pilot's seat of the tiny aircraft. As per the late pilot's direction, he navigated the plane northeastward, away from the Britannian continent and towards the EU.

xx

The majority of Japanese Government Officials began filing out of the conference room once the meeting was adjourned. Only two had remained seated: Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi and General Kyoshiro Tohdoh. Nunnally sat pristinely across from them with a polite little smile, but the worry in her face was obvious. She hadn't slept well. Zero was beside her, her lone companion. All the others were too busy dealing with the Schneizel situation.

When the last of the officials had left, Ohgi cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, let me be the first to offer you our condolences. Belated as they may be." Beside him, Tohdoh nodded in agreement.

Nunnally relaxed her shoulders, "Thank you very much. And if my information is correct, and you don't mind me saying, I believe the two of you knew my brother?"

"You could say that," Tohdoh said, crossing his arms over his chest in his usual way. "But we only knew him as a commander, then as the public knew him, of course."

"Yes, the two of us fought for Japan's liberation under Zero." Ohgi paused, "with the Black Knights." he added. The Zero sitting across the table never flinched.

"That's wonderful," Nunnally mumbled, "That there are people who will remember him as he truly was."Tohdoh scoffed in a non-abrasive manner. "We knew Zero. To the even Black Knights, the person behind the mask was a shrouded enigma, but the figurehead he became was what they came to know. However, if I can speak for all the former Black Knights, the man we knew was honorable at least."

It was Ohgi's turn to nod. "I know I, actually, have regretted our actions…" He paused again; staring at his fingers weaved together on the table. "What we all did to Zero… It was fueled by propaganda. If we hadn't let our suspicions get the better of us, and hadn't mistrusted him: Perhaps it could've turned out differently. The Black Knights would've never abandoned Zero, and completely toppled Britannia. There would've never been a ninety-ninth emperor."

"It's just as well," she sighed, "You knew a part of my brother that was real. And as such, I have something I want to share with you. I trust the two of you to keep this matter secret, but it's important to me that you know."

Zero seemed to figure out what she was going to say next, and turned to look at her.

"You both are aware of Geass, correct? My brother's ability to compel anyone to do anything he ordered?" Ohgi and Tohdoh nodded. "Well, you probably haven't been told this much, but during the Great War, my elder half-brother Schneizel was ordered to obey Zero. That's," Nunnally hesitated, reliving a nasty memory, "mostly how Lelouch gained control of the Damocles. Now, Schneizel answers to this Zero." She gestured to the person beside her. "But despite this… he has now gone missing." Nunnally's palms lied flat in her lap, relinquishing all the information she had. And all the stress with it, she hoped as she waited for their responses.

The two diplomats' eyes were wide, unsure of why she was telling them this, and alarmed that it was happening. Ohgi ran his hand down his face. "How is that possible? From what we know… a Geass command is absolute."

Nunnally shrugged, "That's a mystery to us as well. And I'm not telling you this to ask for your assistance, but I hoped that you would have some suggestions for us. And also so that you are informed, in case some other sort of trouble should arise later."

Tohdoh shook his head, "God forbid that should happen."

xx

By midday, the bright sun of the morning had become faded and overcast. A slight rain fell on the city, but it didn't bother the citizens. They continued bustling down sidewalks and congesting the streets in large numbers. Downtown, everyone seemed to be even more rushed. Lelouch pulled on the brim of his hat to further cover his face as he moved through the crowd. The weather didn't deter him either. In fact, for being inconspicuous it worked perfectly. However, it didn't work well for travel.

With the money he had received the night before, he was able to purchase a train ticket. There was even enough to make sure his seat was in a secluded cabin- easing his worries and making it easier to sleep. But he had given up the solitude to wade through a mass of people. Good thing everyone in the city is more focused on where they're going rather than what they're running into on the way.

As he was moving efficiently down the sidewalk, Lelouch attempted to map out parts of the city in his mind. It had been a while since he'd seen it. And if it hadn't changed too much in the past year, he believed he knew exactly where his destination was. From his current position, the alleyway coming up on the right would provide a good shortcut, he thought. It wasn't very inconspicuous, but having so many people around and invading his personal space was making him paranoid.

So he ducked into the narrow space between buildings. It was significantly darker in the alley, but he could still see his surroundings through the shadows. One of the buildings was oddly shaped and jut out in the back, so it looked like a chunk of the building was missing. There was another path that continued beyond it, intersecting the one he was on now. He was walking swiftly, not wanting to be out in the open longer than necessary. But when he rounded the corner his speed prevented him from bracing for the sudden impact.

He was caught off-guard and almost lost his balance from running into something so unexpectedly. His reflexes got the better of him and while trying to steady himself, his hat found its way to the ground. He was about to berate himself for such an idiotic blunder when he noticed he had ran into a person.

Lelouch held his breath. The other person wasn't looking at him. They were holding their hand to their head, and rubbing the point of impact through layers of blue-coloured hair.

After what felt like ages the person reached for Lelouch's discarded hat and spoke. "Ow… Sorry, man. I didn't even see you!" he began brushing the dust off the hat. "No big deal though. Here's your hat." Lelouch recognized the voice and released his breath. Slightly. Two grayish eyes stared at him without a glint of recognition. It took a second or two for everything to register in the other boy's mind. And then his eyes snapped open wide as the hat slipped carelessly from his fingers. "My god," he stammered, "Lelouch… you're alive?"

Lelouch held his hands in front of himself defensively, "Rival, listen to me-"

"I knew it!" Rivalz cried suddenly, pumping his fist into the air. "I totally knew it!"

Lelouch's hands fell slightly, along with is face. "You what?"

Rivalz grabbed his old friend's shoulders. "I knew you were alive! Just like Clovis, you faked your death, right? I just knew it!"

"Well actually," he started, then shook his head, "No… No, Clovis is really dead. How could you even think…?" He shook away the thought again. "As for me, so was I… Or so I thought…"

"Wow, that's heavy, man." Rivalz commented. There was a short silence, and then Rivalz crossed his arms over his chest with a more serious look on his face. "Just answer me one thing, Lelouch. I told myself I'd ask you… if I was ever given the chance." The other boy put on a questioning look. "Why?" He was practically glaring, but there was a flash of betrayal rooted deep in his eyes.

"'Why'?" Lelouch echoed. "'Why' what? Do you want me to explain my reasons for everything? Everything that's happened? Every sin I've committed? Because that's impossible-"

"I don't care about all that." He interjected. "What I mean is… Why didn't you tell me? About who you are? I mean, I wake up one morning to find out that my best bud- who had been missing for five months- is actually a Royal Prince of Britannia?" Lelouch's eyes went downcast. "And not only that, but he's actually claimed the throne to become the Emperor? We were friends in high school, right? So why-"

Lelouch clenched his fists and interrupted him. "I'm sorry, Rival…" His voice was so low that Rivalz almost missed it. But he had heard him. "I didn't tell you because it wasn't important. That's not who I am… well, who I was... I didn't want anything to do with Britannia, the Royal Family, or the struggle for the throne… I had tried so hard to keep all of that away from Nunnally. It had already hurt her enough…"

Rivalz opened his mouth to inquire, but Lelouch anticipated it. "But with… dire circumstances… I thought I had nothing else to lose, and there was still something I hadn't finished yet…" Rivalz gulped, listening intently. He had never heard his friend sound like this. "But, Rival?" he asked, while reaching for his homburg that still lied on the ground.

"Yeah?"

"Don't you think we could have this conversation somewhere more… suitable?" he asked, while looking over his shoulder. Gently placing the hat on his head, he added, "Solitary?"

Rivalz looked like he just remembered where they were, and snapped back to earth. "Oh- Yeah! Sure!" He untied the strings of the half-apron Lelouch just noticed he was wearing, and slung it over his shoulder. "I'm on break right now, so you can follow me inside… I have just the place. We can't have you causing a riot, buddy." He laughed. It was as if the last half of their conversation had never happened.

"All I had to do was empty the trash, which was what I was doing when I ran into you." He led the way through a back door into the oddly shaped building, which was the bar where he worked. The door didn't open up directly into the main room, but to a hallway in the back. Several smaller doors lined it, each reading something different, like 'Storage' or 'Kitchen.' There were a few people moving around, but they were so focused on their work that they didn't notice the two boys entering the tiny break room. A flimsy looking table sat in the center, and an old, out-of-date refrigerator and greasy microwave were shoved towards the back wall.

Rivalz shut and locked the door behind him. And then he stealthily reached up and knocked the hat off of Lelouch's head. "Daring, aren't ya?" he snickered when Lelouch glared at him. "That's not exactly an impenetrable disguise. What will you do if someone manages to recognize you?"

Lelouch picked the hat off of the floor yet again and tossed it onto the table. "Don't even joke. It won't happen. I'll make sure of it."

"Yeah, yeah." Rivalz waved him off as he took a seat. "So… If you're actually alive… does that mean, maybe… Suzaku is too? What about Shirley?" The look on his face was hopeful, but Lelouch couldn't look at him. He stared at ground, thinking. He could trust Rivalz to keep a secret. By now he pretty much had to.

"Suzaku is, yes." He admitted, choosing his words carefully. "Technically… Kururugi Suzaku died in the Great War, during a battle aboard the Damocles. But Suzaku himself is still living… just with a new set of priorities." There was a pause. He didn't like what came next. Especially saying it. "But Shirley… She is actually…" he couldn't even finish, but Rivalz understood.

"Oh," Rivalz muttered, grimacing. "Man, I could never believe that she had killed herself… It was so… unreal. That wasn't like her at all."

Lelouch's hand gripped the back of a chair. He was glaring at the floor by now. "You're right. It wasn't. Shirley never committed suicide… The truth is she was murdered."

Rivalz almost leaped from his seat and slapped his hands onto the tabletop. "Are you serious! Who! And why?" he stopped as a thought occurred to him. His voice lowered at bit, "Is that why you weren't there, at the funeral? And why you suddenly disappeared? Because you knew she didn't-"

"That's not important anymore." Lelouch interrupted. "Whoever killed her is already dead. And she…" his look softened a bit, "She wasn't upset about it." Rivalz raised an eyebrow at him and was about to stay on the topic, but Lelouch intervened. "Anyway Rival, why were you convinced that I was alive somewhere?"

"Huh?" he chuckled again, "Oh, that was just a conspiracy theory I had. I really wanted to believe it… But I guess I could've, huh? I didn't want to think that the guy everyone hated used to be my best bud. That guy wasn't you. I know it." A pause. "… Right?"

"Well, that was really me," his hand absent-mindedly rubbed his left breast pocket, "and I have the scar to prove it." Rivalz gave him a deadpan look and he smirked. "But I know what you mean… and you're right."

"Man, forget the Student Council," Rivalz exclaimed, shaking his head, "you should've joined the Acting Club back at Ashford! You almost had me fooled."

Lelouch laughed once, "Yeah, right."

"So, back to the present," the other boy changed the subject again. "What brings you here? Come all the way back to Tokyo for vacation?"

"Not quite," he answered with a small grin on his face. "I'm looking for something… To help me find someone."

Rivalz stared up at him, "Well? Care to elaborate?"

Lelouch waved away the question. "Not right now. It may actually be easier if I had your help…" he glanced at his friend, who suddenly looked ecstatic.

"Man, it's been forever since we've done any mischief!" Rivalz pumped his fist a second time. "So, what's the scheme this time, buddy?"

"It'll have to be later… There are still a few things I've got to worry about…" he mused.

Rivalz's excited face fell. "Oh… Well, I've got work anyway. My break's almost over… Listen, I just had an idea!" he reached into his pants pocket and removed a set of keys. Lelouch recognized one that went to his motorcycle, but Rivalz picked off an unfamiliar one and tossed it towards him. "I've got a place a few blocks away. A bachelor pad, of course. And since the plan's for later you can hang out there until I'm finished here."

Lelouch looked at the key in his hands with uncertainty. "Are you sure about that? The last thing I need is to be recognized, and the last thing you need is to get dragged into it."

He shook his head firmly. "Of course I'm sure! You're my buddy, remember? I won't be here much longer. The shifts are… fairly short." He laughed. "What? Do you have a better safe house somewhere around here?" When Lelouch stayed silent, Rivalz nodded. "I thought so. So you'll stay with me until… Well, until you leave! I'll write you a few directions…"

Rivalz had started looking for something to write his directions on when Lelouch spoke up. "Actually, Rival… Before that, there's somewhere else I'd like the directions to first."

xx

**Author's Notes**- Personally, this is one of my favourite chapters. I'm not sure why though. Oh, and next chapter: Lloyd!

**I'm catching up with myself faster than I thought I would,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	6. Fifth Pass

**Chapter Five**

"Oh, it's such a pity," crooned the man in the long white lab coat, "that we have this beautiful marvel of military science, but no pilot to put in it!" The man readjusted his glasses and threw his arms in the air. From his swivel chair on the deck in the laboratory, he had a clear view of the metal behemoth towering a few meters away.

It was a giant humanoid machine, outfitted with weapons of the highest caliber and sophistication. The mecha was white and gold, and even had a human-like face. A small chamber was mounted on its back, acting as the cockpit. This piece of military technology was known as the Knightmare Frame, and it had been a staple of the Britannian military since they first mass-produced it during the Second Pacific War. Since then, the Knightmare had become more mainstream, and by the time of the Black Rebellion even rebel groups could easily get their hands on them.

A human pilot operated it from the inside via several different instruments, but there were certain Knightmares that were extremely difficult to operate. The majority of these inoperable machines were designed by Lloyd Asplund. Needless to say, when Lloyd found a worthy pilot for his creations, he liked to hold onto them. But Lloyd had a habit of being emotionally detached from his experiments, and thought of his pilots as nothing but parts and pieces.

"My poor Lancelot," Lloyd sighed, calling the machine by name. "You're finally rebuilt after all this time, but you've nowhere to go."

On the ground level, standing by the Lancelot with a clipboard in her hand, Cecile Croomy shook her head. She wore her traditional brown military uniform and her deep blue hair didn't reach shoulders. "Isn't it enough that the Lancelot is finally finished? We had to start from scratch, after all."

The scientist nodded, "Yes, of course. Kururugi sure did a number on the last one... He died in battle. What a shame."

Cecile's pale blue eyes glared up at him, "Lloyd! You shouldn't talk that way about poor Suzaku! He died fighting on the Damocles!"

"I was talking about the Lancelot!" Cecile sent him heated looks but he simply grinned, running his hand through his lavender hair. "Kururugi fought in the Lancelot against that Kallen girl in the Guren. It ended in a draw, but the Lancelot exploded! It was so terrible… I couldn't sleep for days! He and Kallen were so evenly matched, but…" He paused with a mischievous look in his sea-green eyes. "Say, do you think Kallen would be willing for a test drive?"

Cecile was about to answer him when a voice from the next room suddenly answered for her. "Oh, no! I forbid it!" It wasn't a second later that Rakshata Chawla appeared at the door, waving her long pipe around frantically. Her deep teal eyes flashed daringly at Lloyd, "If Kallen is going to pilot anything it will be the Guren. It's always been the Guren, and I won't have you stealing my pilot away just because you lost yours." Rakshata's dark skin contrasted with her light, curly blond hair that hung well below her waist. A purple diamond-shaped mark was in the center of her forehead- as she was from India, and she wore her lab coat open with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

Back during the times when Britannia had control over Japan, Lloyd and Cecile worked specifically under Prince Schneizel for the Britannian government developing the first 7th Generation Knightmare Frame: Lancelot. Meanwhile, Rakshata had joined forces with the Black Knights and Zero to design Knightmare frames for their use, specifically Kallen's Guren Mk II. Now, after Lelouch's downfall, they all work for the Britannian government under Empress Nunnally, but Lloyd insisted on keeping their laboratory in Japan. This was because of the vast supply of sakuradite, a mineral essential in the production of Knightmare Frames.

Lloyd gave Rakshata a flat look. The two of them had been friends long ago, but something silly had gotten between them. It was so silly, in fact, that Cecile was the only one who could even remember what it was. Their paths had crossed again after Emperor Lelouch imprisoned them all for treason, though Lloyd and Cecile were aware of his schemes at the time. "How can you claim Kallen as your pilot when there's nothing for her to operate? Hmm? The Guren was also heavily damaged in that final battle, but for the past year our project has been rebuilding the Lancelot."

Rakshata smirked at Lloyd, "Who says I can't have a hobby?" She then walked across the floor and opened an adjacent hangar. The door slowly rolled up to reveal another Knightmare. This one was red and orange, and its right arm was a silver clawed-hand appendage, the signature of the Guren Mk II. "All this while, I've had my own pet project. It's perfectly functional! Care for a demonstration?"

Lloyd clenched his jaw, defeated. Oppositely, Cecile was mystified. She slowly stepped up to the Guren, craning her neck to stare at it. "You did this all on your own?" Rakshata nodded. "In such a short time?"

"Well, I had a bit of help from some lackeys," she bit the mouthpiece of her pipe, "but all the designing is me. Oh by the way, I kept your energy wings. Even after you modified my Guren without my permission." She was glaring now.

Cecile shrunk back a bit and laughed. "Oh, you're still mad about that, huh? We never thought Kallen would have a chance to pilot it… After all, she was captured at the time..."

Rakshata pointed at Cecile with the end of the pipe, "That's no excuse! … However, Kallen seemed to like them, so I'm keeping them."

Lloyd stared at the Guren uninterestingly with his chin resting in his hand and his elbow propped up on his desk. "I don't see how anyone can drive that thing. It's so wild. One can't just pilot it recklessly." He mumbled.

"That's what makes Kallen such a capable pilot. She has no fear, and the power to control my Guren. Its wildness is its fierceness. My creations are like no other!" Rakshata proclaimed proudly.

The scientist sighed and turned back to his own Knightmare. "Oh, Lancelot, you may never leave the gate… It seems Suzaku was the best pilot I'll ever have for you, but…" Suddenly, in the middle of Lloyd's thought, the doors to the lab opened. When he turned to see who was invading his lab a smile broke over his face. "Why, speak of the devil!"

Cecile had her back facing the doors, so she looked puzzled at first. She then turned just as Zero entered the room, examining the place. He glanced up at Lloyd but didn't say a word. Rakshata visibly tensed, like she was restraining herself from something.

"Oh!" Cecile exclaimed as she saw him. "Zero, what brings you here?"

"Simply checking in." He spoke low and quick. Saying no more than necessary. Cecile bit her lip uncomfortably.

Lloyd was excited to show off his finished creation, and went down the stairs to the ground floor with the others. "Well then, I have plenty to report! Take a look at this!" he gestured towards the now completed Lancelot.

Zero scanned the mecha, but his voice held no emotion. "It's completed?"

"Yes, this is the Lancelot Voyageur," he explained, "it has many of the same components as the Lancelot Albion. Since it was fairly new… and was destroyed… this is to be expected." Lloyd forced himself to say the last part.

The masked man was silent for a moment. Maybe he realized that he stared at the Knightmare a second longer than he should have, but he suddenly asked: "Who will pilot it?"

Lloyd slumped his shoulders. "That is… to be determined," the dejected look he had been holding all afternoon was returning.

"I see," Zero said. He continued to walk around the laboratory, gazing up at all the machinery. When he reached the Guren, he stopped beside Rakshata. "The Guren?"

Rakshata held her arms crossed and tapped her pipe repeatedly. "Yes, that's my little pet project. It's been finished for a while now. Most of the Guren SEITEN was destroyed in the Great War, but I've managed to rebuild it with what I had left..." Finally, whatever she seemed to be holding back started to burst from her. She put the pipe between her teeth and continued: "You know, I always said that you were an interesting man, but it seems that lately… You're not as interesting as you used to be. What do you think of that, _Zero_?" She blew smoke in his face and stressed his name when she spoke it, emphasizing her point.

Zero remained unmoving. He wasn't surprised. Rakshata used to be one of the higher-ups in the Black Knights, so it was only natural that she would _know_. He simply returned his attention to the red Knightmare. "Will Kallen pilot this?"

Rakshata was almost insulted that he ignored her confrontation. But she smirked with the thought that him evading it was the only answer she needed. "I suppose, if it's ever needed. She's the best my children have!" She referred to her Knightmares as her "children" on a regular basis, so no one was surprised.

Lloyd suddenly swooped into the conversation, "I wish I could get my hands on a capable pilot. It's the most difficult part to replace." He mused.

"I'll look into it," Zero said as he turned back towards the door. Although the sound of his voice made it clear that he had no plan to do so. Before he could exit the laboratory, Lloyd put himself between Zero and the door.

"Even more difficult is finding one that's a suitable replacement for Kururugi." He grinned, "I don't know if anyone else can do him justice. Suzaku had the highest percentile in the Lancelot that I've ever seen." Zero stood awkwardly motionless with Lloyd in his face. The mischievous look Lloyd held didn't fade at Zero's silence, and the view of his eyes was blocked by the glare on his glasses. "But I suppose that would be asking too much of you." Lloyd shrugged as he backed off.

Zero tried to think of something to say to that, but decided it would be better to just leave without saying anything at all. When the doors shut behind him, Lloyd still had that sly grin on his face and knowing look in his eyes.

xx

It was getting later and later in the afternoon, and the landscape was now illuminated in the pale gray light that preceded the reds and oranges of dusk. The sun had dipped just below the thick layers of clouds that were smothering the city. The rain was holding off, but it seemed like it could start pouring again at any moment.

No doubt the city was screaming with activity, but Lelouch had no way of knowing. He was removed from the urban parts of the city and had found himself in a rather scenic area. He had found the place as per the directions Rivalz had crudely scribbled onto a tiny slip of paper. It had been a long while ago, but he had been to this place before- and it was miserable. Well over a year ago, his group of friends had returned without him. They loathed it for a second time. A visit here was always miserable, but Lelouch felt it was long overdue.

He searched the grounds awhile, walking down the various pathways. When at last he found what he was looking for, he still didn't know what to do. He simply stared, hoping that this belated visit would accomplish… something. But being here only reminded him of why he didn't come the first time. So he stood there, regretting everything he had no control over. Gravestones are never very consoling.

He kept his head bowed, so if there had been anyone around him, they wouldn't have been able to see his eyes. Even if he didn't have the homburg, his hair would move in front of them and block anyone from seeing, but there was no one around to try. The name on the stone was barely visible behind piles of now wilted flowers. He assumed they were left behind at the last decoration, which must have been months ago. Still, he didn't have to look underneath the flowers to read the name 'Shirley Fenette' carved onto the slab of stone.

There was nothing he could say for it. No words of penance to make it all better. It wasn't because it was so unbearable. In fact, he held this strange feeling of peace somewhere within him that he couldn't explain. But he knew that the fault wasn't his, yet he couldn't help but try to find some reason it could be. He hadn't killed her, but maybe, indirectly, he helped orchestrate it. Something in the back of his mind told him he was wrong.

He felt sorry for Shirley; because so many hardships fell on her that were indeed his fault. One after the other, as he tried to cover himself, started an avalanche that would eventually lead to her death. But there was no way he could've known. It's all in the timing.

After a battle with the Black Knights against the Britannian Forces, Shirley, not knowing Lelouch was Zero, confided in him. She asked him why, if Zero claimed to be this agent of justice, why her father was killed in that battle. By a landslide the Black Knights created. While Shirley searched for answers, someone in the Britannian Military took her to another scene of battle. She came across an unconscious Zero, his mask lying on the ground beside him. She had a nervous and emotional breakdown. Lelouch later cast a Geass command upon her, to forget him. About ever knowing him.

Maybe he wouldn't berate himself so much if that had been the end of it. But Shirley had been exposed to Geass at least three times, that he knew of. First by him, telling her to forget; then by Emperor Charles, rewriting her memories and replacing Nunnally with another, false sibling. And when Jeremiah had first obtained his Geass canceller, and fought against Zero, he went around Area 11 randomly using it in crowds and waiting for reactions. Shirley was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and had all previous commands reversed, so she remembered everything.

She remembered that Lelouch was Zero, and that Nunnally was his sister. But even so, she didn't have it in her heart to blame him for anything. She couldn't hate him. At least, that's what she told him when he found her lying in the evacuated train station, with a gunshot wound given to her by Rolo- who she then knew was a fake. He wasn't Lelouch's little brother. They weren't related in the slightest. And when Shirley mentioned Nunnally to him, he used his time-stopping Geass to kill her while she was immobile.

When Lelouch found her, it was already too late. Rolo was gone, and his Geass made it look like Shirley had shot herself in the stomach. Lelouch tried in vain to use his Geass on her one last time. He ordered her to live, but there was no way she could comply. She just kept bleeding. In that moment, he couldn't understand why it wasn't working. He used the Geass to give an order, and the person followed through. It was so simple, but it wasn't working. She only apologized and confessed everything. That she had regained all of her memories, and knew who he was and what he had done, but that she didn't hate him.

She told him she was glad that she could talk to him one last time and tell him everything. She thought it was funny that no matter how many times her memories were altered, she still managed to fall for him. And that she hoped it would continue to be that way. That she would keep going through that cycle. She didn't hate him.

Shirley was amazing, he thought, because she didn't despise him for all the wrongs he had done. To her, and anyone else. All the injustices she went through for him.

When Lelouch finally looked up from the tombstone, the sun had almost completely set. Staring at the stone and thinking of Shirley put him in some sort of trance. He had stayed way too long, but at least he had Shirley's blessing. He hoped.

In hindsight, perhaps he should've brought some flowers.

xx

As Schneizel took the first few steps into the ruins, he thought they seemed much smaller on the outside. The walls and columns around him were covered in ivy and cracked from all the years they had sat there. He found many of the strange markings on the walls and floors familiar. They were just like the ones at another set of ruins in Japan.

Kaminejima: an island that his father was suspiciously interested in. He had visited the island once and found the ruins fascinating. Later on, he found an old map of his father's, with many places marked on it. Kaminejima was one of them. So was the place he was walking through now, in the EU.

He knew that his father possessed Geass. Lelouch too, had one. At first, Schneizel thought they were fools, defiling themselves for power. It was something he had no use for. If he wanted power, he would simply take it. But now, after his defeat on the Damocles and over a year of serving his younger half-sister, he couldn't let himself be with such a handicap. He was unevenly matched, although the other two were now dead.

He wanted Geass. He wanted to exploit it to his best ability, and he knew that these ruins held the key to gaining it. He just didn't understand how.

When he reached the end of the huge corridor, he found three steps that spanned the entire width of the room and lead to a colossal door. It had to be over twenty feet high, and was made of the same stone as the rest of the ruins. The door was split down the middle, like a set of double-doors, and the Geass crest was carved into it so it was also split.

The abstract symbol stuck out to Schneizel. He remembered seeing one in each of Lelouch's eyes as he ordered him to obey Zero. The rising phoenix shape mocked him then, but he was welcomed by it now, and recognized it as the symbol of Geass.

He went up to the doors and ran his hand against the stone. The large phoenix was just above his reach, or else he would've traced it with his fingers. There were no other markings that he could see. No hint as to how to open the door. He pushed it a little, but it didn't budge. There had to be a way to open it.

A noise suddenly came from behind him, and his hand went immediately to the concealed gun he carried. Then the noise came again, but louder. It sounded like footsteps, but whoever was making them wasn't trying to hide them. Schneizel pulled the gun from its hiding place and turned, pointing into the shadows. "Who's there?" Silence. "I demand to know who you are and what you've come for."

To Schneizel's surprise, a child stepped from the shadows. It was a young boy. He was very thin, with strawberry-blonde, almost peach coloured hair, and bright aqua eyes. His hair was rather long, in a pageboy style, and the clothes he wore looked like they were in style about 100 years ago. Also, he didn't look feeble. He was actually smirking at Schneizel as he approached him.

"Who are you?" Schneizel pressed, aiming the gun at the boy. "What's your name?"

The child scoffed, "My name is of no importance to you."

"A rather brash tone you have, boy." Schneizel said.

"You think so?" The boy grinned up at him. He was at the first step, and stopped, looking up at Schneizel.

"Do you know who I am?"

Now he laughed, shrugging. "I can't begin to tell you how little I care." His smart aleck comment obviously angered Schneizel. He could tell by the way the man was glaring at him.

"Why you-" Schneizel started, but was soon interrupted.

"Interested in Geass, are you?" the boy asked, giving Schneizel pause.

"What do you know of it?"

"Plenty," he answered. Schneizel waited for more, but it seemed the boy wasn't going to tell him anything else.

"If that's all you have to say, then I'm finished with you." The boy gave Schneizel a puzzled look just before he pulled the trigger, and the bullet tore through the boy's throat. He held a stunned expression as blood erupted from his neck and mouth, and his tiny body crumpled to the ground. Schneizel returned to investigating the ruins.

The stone door had no handles or hinges, so he figured it was either pushed or slid open. He tried jamming his fingers into the crease of the doors, but they were shut tight. He couldn't even get a grip on them with his fingertips. The top of the doors was shrouded in shadows, so he couldn't see it clearly. There had to be some trick to it!

"How cruel," A small voice sputtered from behind him. Schneizel immediately recognized it as the voice of the boy he had just killed. He whipped around, eyes wide, as the boy clumsily brought himself to his feet. He had his hand pressed onto his neck, where the wound should be. Some trickles of blood that had fallen from his mouth left trails, and they looked menacing against his thin smile.

"Shooting a small child." He looked to his side and spit out a wad of blood, like it was nothing. "A child you've never met before, no less. How rude you are." He smiled a wicked smile at Schneizel, who stood motionless. When the boy removed his hand, Schneizel could clearly see that the wound had disappeared. Even though he was covered in blood from it.

Then Schneizel started laughing. "Tell me, is this some sort of Geass? Because that's quite different than I remember."

"No, it isn't." the boy answered, wiping his bloody hand on his trousers. "But I have a proposition for you, if you're as interested in Geass as you claim to be."

Schneizel didn't trust the boy's smile, but he wasn't one to turn away from open doors. Especially when others opened them for him. "I'm listening."

"You'll have to do something for me, as well." He said.

"If it's in my ability." He replied quickly and confidently. "Which I'm sure it will be. What is it you want from me?"

The boy's grin deepened, "We'll discuss that later, when it's relevant. But for now," he extended a small hand, this one free of blood, towards Schneizel. "If you sign my contract, I will grant you power."

Power. That word attracted Schneizel more than anything else. Even before all of his was stripped from him at the end of the Great War, he desired it. No longer would his father, Lelouch, or anyone else hold this advantage over him. All he had to do was appease a child. An apparently immortal child. It was a small price for power.

"Geass," Schneizel mumbled before gripping the child's hand, and tumbling into a world that seemed to exist inside his own mind, thereby agreeing to the terms of the mysterious boy's contract.

xx

It was evening by the time Lelouch finally made it to Rivalz's apartment. He made a mental note of never asking him for directions ever again. Even Rivalz may not be able to figure out his own instructions, because he hadn't returned yet. So Lelouch let himself in, using the key Rivalz had given him. He hoped it was really alright, burdening Rivalz like this. But Rivalz ended practically every sentence directed towards Lelouch with, "buddy," so it must be.

The apartment was indeed small- as Rivalz put it, "a bachelor pad." The front door led immediately into a den, where the kitchen was visible through the archway on the opposite wall. A large window was on the left wall, and across from it was another door, which led to a hallway with one bedroom and one bathroom. It was quaint, and wasn't too messy, considering it was a "bachelor pad." But that was Rivalz. He was ordinary, but he wasn't a slob.

As Lelouch shut the door behind him, he removed the homburg and set it on a table beside the sofa. He looked around the place, to get a feel for it. Leave it to Rivalz to live in such an ordinary space, but it was comfortable. Rivalz probably wasn't here much anyway. Lelouch moved to see out the window, wondering when Rivalz would show up. If anything, he was rushing through his work in order to get back, but there was no telling. Just as Lelouch reached the window, the door to the apartment was thrust open.

"Oh, Rivalz! It's me! I saw the light on so you better not try hiding from me!" A girlish giggle followed the boom of her voice. Milly Ashford stepped into the apartment and shut the door. When her eyes fell on Lelouch, he saw them well up with tears.

She stared at him for the longest time. Her lip trembled, and when she blinked, the tears that had been building up in her eyes began to spill over her cheeks. Her throat was constricted from crying, so she could barely manage to say anything. She only whispered his name before dropping her purse in the floor and running towards him. She flung her arms around his neck and dragged him into an embrace. She didn't care anymore. She just wanted to cry.

xx

**Author's Notes**- At last, we know what Schneizel's been up to.

**That's all,**

**_-Destiny_**


	7. Sixth Pass

**Chapter Six**

Milly didn't know what else to do. She acted on the first thing she could think of. And who could blame her? She buried her face into his shoulder and wept. She cried in a way she hadn't since she was a girl, and she didn't care. Lelouch didn't protest; he was frozen in place. The shock settled over him and he simply stood there, staring down at her like he was worried she would turn on him at any moment.

"Is it really you?" Milly sniffled. Her words were muffled by the fabric of his shirt. "Please tell me it's really you."

Lelouch released his breath, the tension draining from him. "Madame Pres,"

"Oh, thank heaven." A sob slightly racked through her body, but when she turned her head away from him she was smiling. "Lelouch, I'm not the Student Council President anymore. I graduated, remember?"

"Of course,"

"You can call me Madame Press, if you want." She gave a small laugh.

Lelouch looked at her, interested. "You're a reporter?"

She didn't seem to realize that he was speaking back to her at all. But then again, she had always been that way. "I had to do the story on you yesterday and I just…" She bit down on her lip to stifle any more sobs. "Oh Lulu, I'm just an emotional wreck, aren't I?"

He smirked, "Absolutely."

That was enough to make her giggle. "I hate for you to see me like this… But you know, Lelouch? You're supposed to comfortingly wrap your arms around a girl when she's crying on your shoulder." He looked puzzled for a moment. Then he noticed that his arms were hanging dumbly at his sides, like he was bracing himself for impact. When he followed her instructions she laughed at him again. "That's better. I guess you have be inept at something, right Lulu?"

He tried to block out her laughter, just barely embarrassed. "If you say so."

"Huh," Milly voiced a thought that had randomly occurred to her, "I bet that's the first time someone's called you 'Lulu' since Shirley…" She stopped, noticing where she had just stupidly taken the conversation. Her expression darkened, "Never mind."

"Yeah." His voice was so quiet Milly almost didn't hear it.

A sad smile formed on her face, "She really loved you, ya know?"

Lelouch shut his eyes, tired of all the brooding already. "Yeah… I know."

"Agh, I'm so fed up with this." She grumbled. New tears were already forming in her eyes but she forced them back. "I'm just so sick of being sad. It's not in my character… being so upset all the time…"

He nodded, "Definitely not."

"But you," She finally pulled away from him and looked at him straight in the face. She kept her hands on his shoulders, one of which she had effectively soaked with tears. He noticed that her eyes were red and swollen from the crying. Black smudges of eye makeup were all over her cheeks and around her eyes. "You're the cause of so much of this stress. What do you have to say for yourself?" The grin on her face betrayed the sarcastic anger in her voice.

He gaped at her, and right when he thought of something to say she spoke first.

"What does it matter anyway?" she sighed. "Maybe I've finally snapped." A dreamy look swam into her eyes and she placed a hand on either side of his face. "But you seem real to me…"

"Mad-" he stopped himself and smiled, removing her hands from his face. "Milly, it is me. Really."

"Are you sure?" she squeaked, and then pulled him into another embrace. "Do you have any idea how much everyone missed you? Idiot."

"I think I can make a pretty good guess," The tone of his voice wasn't as serious as hers.

"No, I don't think you can. I cried for you, even though…" she trailed off, then shook her head. "But I'm still so happy to see you again… I could just…" She bundled his shirt fabric in her fists. Hesitation fell on her. She bit her lip uncertainly. Before she could talk herself out of it, she leaned away from him. It was just enough to see the look of apprehension on his face. The grip she held on his shirt kept him still as she came towards him and gave him a peck so quick it was over before he had any chance to react.

She took a step back from him and placed one hand on her hip while the other pointed at his shocked face. "That was between friends, and nothing more. Don't go getting any wise ideas. You're still my subordinate, after all." Not even Milly could suppress the pink colour dusting her cheeks. She smiled and hoped he wouldn't notice it.

He blinked at her a few times, seemingly at a loss, and then he shook his head and smirked incredulously. "Of course, Madame President."

xx

"Have there been any developments, Cornelia?" Nunnally asked. She entered the dark computer-filled room with her bodyguard in tow.

Cornelia's fingertips drummed on the tabletop beside her. "Not as of yet, Your Maj-" She stopped and realized what she was saying. When she glanced back at Nunnally, the young empress was looking at her expectantly. "… Nunnally." Her lips parted in a smile. "But after your meeting with the Japanese officials, we now have the full permission and support of the Japanese government to find Schneizel by any means necessary. That being said, it should be much easier to track him down. Japan has offered their own staff of specialists to aid us."

"Good," Nunnally replied, looking up at the great monitor of a computer that seemed to take up an entire wall. "If we continue to cooperate with Japan, we will surely find him. Maybe we'll even find a reason for his disappearance. We shall continue to stay in Japan until Schneizel is found. This is where he went missing, after all."

"That is, unless he's already fled the country." Cornelia grumbled. There were many underlings scurrying about the room the two were in. And whenever one would stop and consult Cornelia she would mutter a few orders to them and they would scurry away again.

The empress bowed her head in disappointment. "We can't know that for sure until we find his trail. So until then, we stay here, at the source."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Cornelia nodded.

Nunnally clicked her tongue and was going to correct her elder sister, but was interrupted by one of the staff members. "Empress Nunnally," he started, looking down to the paper he held in his hands. "You have been receiving calls from someone named 'Kallen Kouzuki'. She says its important and to contact her right away."

"Oh yes, Kallen!" She tapped the arm of her wheelchair, "I had completely forgotten. I'll go tend to it right now, thank you." The underling bowed and went about his business as Nunnally turned her chair around to head for the door. "I trust you to keep up all the work you're doing, Cornelia." The empress smiled while looking over her shoulder. She never spoke to anyone, especially her older sister Cornelia, like a subordinate. There was always a tone in her voice that one only used when talking to an associate or equal.

Cornelia barely glanced up from the large desk she was leaning over. "Of course."

Zero followed Nunnally out of the room and didn't break his silence until they were alone in the corridor. "Are you going to tell her? Kallen. About the situation?"

Nunnally paused, pondering it. "I hadn't thought about it. But I think I will. I'm sure that's her reason for calling, and she deserves to know. It will also be simpler if there's ever a reason for us to ask for her assistance. You visited Lloyd's Lab today didn't you? You told me Rakshata had finished repairing the Guren. If I'm not mistaken, that's Kallen's Knightmare, is it not?" Zero nodded and she smiled. "Then she will be able to help us, if it's ever needed."

"I hope that never happens." He mumbled.

She gave a small sigh, "And neither do I, but one has to be prepared."

"Certainly. I will let you go from here. I have other business to see to." And with that said, he turned and went back down the corridor. Nunnally watched him go for a moment. She noticed that her bodyguard seemed to be very busy lately. She would have to find some way to repay him.

When Nunnally finally returned Kallen's calls, the older girl answered frantically and filled with questions. "Nunnally? What's going on? Why did you leave all of a sudden? It has to be important. Is it drastically important? A matter of national security important?"

Nunnally pulled the receiver away from her ear and looked at it like she was searching for a rewind function. "Well, I'm not sure if it's a matter of national security yet, but…"

"Yet? That doesn't sound good. Please, fill me in, I'm starting to get worried here."

Nunnally then explained to her all of the details concerning Schneizel's disappearance, and her plans to respond. She told her of the cooperation of the Japanese government and her prolonged stay in the country. There was silence on the other end of the line. The only response Nunnally heard from Kallen was either a dramatic gasp or a large release of breath.

"No way," Kallen breathed at last. "You're kidding."

"I'm afraid not." Nunnally spoke somberly.

"But, Schneizel was under the control of Geass, right? There's no way he'd be able to leave on his own."

"That's what we've been thinking," she sighed, "but from all the information we have so far, Schneizel's been traveling alone."

There was a short pause. "Well… There is _one_ way. Only one. He hasn't been anywhere near Jeremiah and his Canceller, has he?"

Nunnally's eyes flickered for a split second before she gasped. "Oh no… I believe that Jeremiah was instructed to cancel the commands of a group of soldiers just before we all had tea together! Oh, now I'm really nervous…"

"Damn, this just keeps getting worse…"

She let out another sigh. "Is there anything else, Kallen? I think I need to speak to Cornelia about this."

"I guess… Well, you don't want all of this going public, right?"

The empress blinked in surprise. "Of course not. I don't intend to cause a panic…"

"Well, don't you think people will notice you staying here? I mean, you originally planned to leave tomorrow, so when tomorrow comes and you're still in Japan, it will make some people wonder. They'll want to know what's keeping the head monarch of another country here."

"Hm, I suppose you're right. I don't want any conspiracy theories starting up…" She paused in thought. "Say, the general public knows that I lived in Japan for eight or so years, right?"

"Uh-huh, I think so. But what does that have to do with anything? Are you calling in homesick?" Kallen laughed.

Nunnally smiled, "No, nothing like that. I mean you. And Milly. And Rivalz. Let's have tea again tomorrow, Kallen. I'll stay in Japan to visit with old friends. No one can think ill of that. Another day or so should be plenty of time for us to locate Schneizel, and I really want to meet up with the rest of the old student council. What do you say?"

Kallen hesitated for a moment, but eventually spoke up. "Okay, okay. Would you like me to call the others?"

"Would you? I'm quite busy here… and I do have ways of contacting them, but it should be much easier for you to do it instead."

"Sure, I'll get right on that. Tomorrow, right?" The other girl asked, and when she and Nunnally exchanged goodbyes they ended the call.

xx

When Rivalz finally returned to his place, he was more worried than anything else. As soon as he saw Milly sitting there he burst into the room with his hands in front of him. "Whoa, Whoa!" he shouted. "Milly, what-? Why are you-? You're making me look unreliable here!"

Milly, who had been conversing with Lelouch on the couch, arched an eyebrow at the hysterical boy. She then jumped to her feet and placed her hands on her hips in an accusatory fashion. "Now just a minute, Rival! How long have you been keeping this from me?" One of her fingers pointed to Lelouch. The latter just sat there, putting his face into his hands.

Now Rivalz reeled back a bit. "I just ran into him a few hours ago, honest! I'm just as surprised as you! … So what are you doing here?"

Milly crossed her arms and lowered her voice. "I came to visit you, since I had to work yesterday and everything… I wanted to reminisce. I never expected this!"

Incredulous, Rivalz turned his attention to his friend on the sofa. "Hey buddy, is this okay? I'm sorry, man, I didn't know that she was going to come and-"

"It's alright, Rival." Lelouch interrupted him. "Really. Milly is trustworthy." He spoke reassuringly, because the last thing he wanted was to cause even more chaos.

Milly threw her head back and laughed proudly. "That's right! I knew all your secrets back at Ashford!" She paused for a moment, then corrected herself. "None that I could use for blackmail, mind you, but good secrets nonetheless!"

The expression on Rivalz's face was puzzled, but he eventually began to draw his own conclusions. "You don't mean… You mean you knew his identity? His real one? All this time and you never told me!"

Another pause. She realized that she might have committed a faux pas. "Oh… Well… Actually, I-" she stammered, but was quickly cut off.

The betrayed look was returning to Rivalz's face as he once again redirected his attention. "Seriously, buddy. It was bad enough when I thought no one else knew. But The Pres? I mean, Nunnally knew, sure. She's your sister…" he trailed off in thought.

Lelouch sighed. "Milly only knew who Nunnally and I were because it was her family. The Ashfords are the ones who took us in after Britannia took over Japan."

"Of course!" Milly chimed, "And when I first met him, I had no idea who he was. I was just told to give a tour of our school to a new student." She gave Lelouch a sidelong glance with a smirk on her lips. "A rude one at that."

He rolled his eyes at her. "Hmph, its not like I willed the wind to blow your skirt up." Milly's eyes widened at his audacity, and her face reddened. Rivalz's jaw dropped. But Lelouch didn't see any of their reactions because he was skimming indifferently through a newspaper he'd found lying around.

Milly was too busy avoiding eye contact to think of anything to say, and Rivalz shook his head to get rid of what he'd just learned. "So did _anyone_ _else_ know? What about Kallen? Shirley?"

Lelouch's expression darkened again. "No. They didn't know."

Milly's face wasn't any brighter. "… I don't think Shirley ever did… but Suzaku-"

"Suzaku!" Rivalz interjected again.

"Well yeah, Rival. Suzaku and Lelouch met years ago... Even before I knew him." She explained the details like they were general knowledge and he was the only oblivious one.

"It was before the Second Pacific War." Lelouch finished.

Rivalz thought for a moment, processing it, accepting it. When he seemed satisfied he asked: "Anybody _else_?"

"Um… No, I think that's everyone." Milly mused.

"Good." He muttered. He hated feeling like the only one left in the dark, especially about important things like his best friend's identity.

As Rivalz sat down, Milly was the only one left standing. She hummed in thought and turned around to face the other two, eyeing one of them suspiciously. "So anyway, Lelouch… Why are _you_ here?"

"I wish I knew." He replied without hesitation. It's not like he wasn't expecting the question.

Rivalz laughed once. "That sounds promising. Does it have anything to do with our mission tomorrow?"

"Mission?" Milly blinked confusedly for a moment, then it dawned on her. "Oh no, what are you two up to now? Not even a day reunited and already more gambling?"

"No, no, Milly. You've got us all wrong!" He waved his hands in front him with a grin. "It's only a little mischief. So what's the plan?"

Lelouch stared at some nondescript spot on the floor, thinking. "Hm, Madame Pres, you're a news reporter now, right? Not just weather and variety shows anymore?"

A little pink of embarrassment appeared on Milly's face. She didn't like to speak of the 'extremely' early part of her career. "Of course not! I'm a full-fledged professional!"

"In that case it would be much easier if we had your help as well…" He stood to look at her directly. "Tomorrow, preferably early."

She winced like she was unsure. Like she knew she really shouldn't but she really wanted to. "Well, I was scheduled to come in tomorrow…" Then she giggled with a large smile gracing her face. "But how can I say no when you've been dead to the world for an entire year?"

Lelouch smirked at her enthusiasm and Rivalz pumped his fist into the air. Milly was simply happy being reunited with her friends again. She figured this was the closest she would ever get to the glimmering peace they had at Ashford.

Before Lelouch started to explain everything and instruct them on what to do, he asked Rivalz for a phonebook. He used it to find the location where the 'mission,' as Rivalz called it, would be carried out. He had just finished explaining how he wouldn't be able to go with them when a loud buzzing disrupted the briefing.

Milly rummaged through her purse a moment and pulled out a small black device. "Oh, it's my cellphone…" She flipped it open and read the name. "Kallen? Huh." Lelouch visually stiffened. He didn't need to drag anyone else into this. After glancing up at the others to see if it was alright, Milly answered her phone brightly. "Speak of the devil, Kallen! How are you?"

Kallen made a noise on the other end of the line like an apathetic groan. "Hi Milly, I'm okay I guess. Been better."

Milly nodded, although Kallen obviously couldn't see that. "I know how that feels… So anyway, what's going on? You need something?"

"Not exactly… I spoke to," she hesitated, wondering how she should say it. "Nunnally today and she-"

"Nunnally?" Now Milly was genuinely surprised. She repeated everything Kallen said out-loud as a way of including everyone else in the conversation. At the mention of Nunnally, both Lelouch and Rivalz turned to listen intently. "You talked to her? How?"

"Well, actually she contacted me yesterday and we talked…" Kallen stopped herself from getting off topic. "Anyway, when I talked to her today she told me to invite you and Rivalz to tea tomorrow."

"Tea? With Nunnally tomorrow?" Milly looked to Lelouch for her answer. He didn't give one, but gave her a skeptical look. "Well, you know I would love to, but… Rivalz and I may have some… prior commitments…" She sighed. "About what time?"

"She didn't really say… I guess it's flexible. Whenever works for you two." Kallen tried to speak as casually as possible at the risk of sounding like Nunnally's secretary.

"If it's later in the day, afternoon tea maybe, then Rivalz and I might be able to join you." Milly's facial expression asked the other two for objections, but they had none.

"That's great. I still have to call Nina, so I'll talk to Nunnally afterwards and give you a time, alright?"

"Sure. See you, Kallen." A small smile peeled back her lips as she hung up the phone.

"What was that about?" Rivalz asked.

Milly answered him while placing the phone back into her bag. "Nunnally wants to have tea with the old Student Council. She's invited the two of us, and Nina."

"Man, what luck." He turned to Lelouch with excitement in his eyes. "Now you don't have to go some roundabout way to reach her."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple…" Lelouch admitted disappointedly. "It would be impossible for you to take me with you without someone recognizing me. And I have other things to worry about then. You'll have to go without me."

A desperate expression came over Rivalz's face. "But… but…" he stammered. Then, spotting the homburg on the table, snatched it up and started waving it around. "What about the master disguise?"

Lelouch gave him a flat look. "They wouldn't let anyone anywhere close to the empress without showing their face."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" He returned to hat to the table, defeated. "But man, it was so perfect!"

"Don't worry about it Rival." Milly said, sitting on the arm of the couch and patting his shoulder. "I'm sure there's another plan to meet with her. But this one comes first…" Glancing at Lelouch, she added: "Right?"

Lelouch nodded and began fiddling with the many papers on the table. "Right. There's no reason to be concerned about me. After this, I'll be going on my own. It'll make things less complicated for you."

Now it was Rivalz's turn to roll his eyes. "What did I tell you? You're no trouble! So just stop thinking of it like that, okay buddy?" He smiled wide and hit his friend on the arm.

Milly's legs crossed as she studied the things on the table. "Finish telling me about this plan of yours. I want to make sure I know what I'm doing."

So Lelouch picked up where he left off, telling them they were on their own. He told Rivalz to use an alias and Milly to use her real name. He explained where they were going and what part of the building they needed to be in. The points of the scheme ran from props for authenticity to skeletons of dialogue. Basically every minute detail was covered, but it still wasn't extremely complicated. When he finished there was silence, as if they were expecting more.

"And that's it?" Rivalz asked. "Well, there's less to it than I imagined…"

Milly pushed Rivalz a bit. "Who cares? We're practically helping a fugitive!" She giggled, anticipation filling her to the brim. "It's exciting!"

xx

**Author's Notes-** C.C. (finally) comes in next chapter. I know, I takes a while to get to that point...

**Reviews are greatly appreciated!,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	8. Seventh Pass

**Chapter Seven**

"Excuse me?"

The clerk at the front desk inwardly groaned. Someone was actually coming by _this early_? Sighing, he lazily brought his eyes to the woman standing in front of him, "Good morning, welcome to Pizza Hut Corporate Headquarters, how can I-" then his jaw dropped.

"I was hoping you'd be able to help me with something," Milly smiled, putting on her professional voice. She was dressed up nicely- she was a TV personality- and her low-cut shirt was definitely doing a good job of distracting the clerk. Rivalz stood behind her wearing a baseball cap. He was carrying a large bag and had a camera slung around his neck.

The clerk blinked up at Milly, his mouth still agape. "Uh, sure, anything you want." Then he looked at her more closely, "Hey, I know you! You're that girl on the news! You did a story just the other day!"

Milly's smile broadened, "Yep, that's me."

"Whoa, I can't believe it's you. You're a lot prettier in person." He praised, earning a flattered giggle from Milly. Rivalz loudly cleared his throat to get her back on track.

"Right, of course. I was wondering if you'd allow me to ask a few questions. It's for a new story I'm doing." She revealed a pad of paper and pen to the man.

He started to excitedly sift through his files and Rolodex, "No problem, I can tell you just who to talk to!"

"And if it wouldn't be any trouble," She placed her hands on the desk, putting on the charm. "Could I get a look at some of your delivery records? I need to know what area of the city is ordering the most pizza for my story."

He leaned back in his chair, scratching the back of his head. "Well, I'm not really supposed to," When he glanced back at Milly her expression was practically pleading, and he melted. "But what the heck, it can't hurt, right?"

She smiled again, "Thank you so much."

After that, the clerk gave them a few names of people to talk to and the directions to where the company kept all the archives. Needless to say, they bypassed the people altogether and went straight to the files.

Rivalz huffed as they walked down the hallway. "That guy was a creep."

"I thought he was rather nice." Milly retorted, her grin still lingering on her lips.

"He was completely ogling you!" he shouted in a whisper.

She brought her head up proudly, "It's not his fault I'm so easy on the eyes." Rivalz brought his hand to his face.

When they made it to the archive room, it didn't take very long to find the company's most frequent customer. There was an entire file dedicated to them.

"Wow," Milly whispered. "There's an order to this address almost every night!"

Rivalz nodded, equally astonished. "That's a lot of pizza."

She jotted the address down on her notepad before replacing the files and they nonchalantly fled the scene. Once they were outside the building, she began celebrating. "We did it!"

"Yeah, I'm surprised it was so easy." He chuckled, "Lelouch's plan actually worked!"

Then it was Milly's turn to laugh, "You're forgetting that he once ruled the entire world."

"Oh yeah…" He shrugged, "I guess that explains it then." They both laughed.

"Alright, let's get back," she started dragging him down the sidewalk as she spoke. "We shouldn't leave him waiting! Besides, I have to call Kallen back so we can go have tea with royalty!"

xx

Milly threw in the door to Rivalz's apartment. She was waving her notepad in the air with a huge smile on her face. "Mission accomplished, your highness!"

Lelouch, who had been standing by the window at the time, turned towards her questioningly. "There's no need for the honoraries."

"Ah, let her have fun with it." Rivalz laughed as he followed Milly inside, and shut the door behind them.

"Besides," Milly purred. She hooded her eyes and teasingly hooked her arm with Lelouch's. "It's true!" He rolled his eyes at her. She giggled.

"I don't need reminding." Lelouch muttered, taking the notepad from her hands and looking it over. "You're sure this is it?"

"Oh yeah," Rivalz confirmed. He still looked like he didn't quite believe it. "There was an entire file dedicated to that person!" His finger pointed to the notepad from across the room. "Who can possibly eat that much pizza!"

Lelouch stared intently at the address scribbled in Milly's loopy handwriting. "There's only one person."

"The person you're looking for?" Milly asked, noting his expression. "So then, we're finished?" He nodded and she breathed a sigh of relief. "Great… Don't get me wrong, Lelouch: Seeing you again has been," she had a breathy laugh, "so unbelievable… But I also want to see Nunnally. You understand."

A half-smile formed on his face, "Of course."

Then she turned to Rivalz hopefully, "You're coming with me, aren't you Rival?" She knew that Nunnally would be expecting him as well, and didn't want to disappoint her.

"Yeah, sure." Rivalz put his hand behind his head, acting like he had no choice. But really, he was excited to see everyone again too. "I guess you'll be going to that address then, huh?" He redirected his attention to Lelouch, who nodded. "Will we… see you again after that?" Milly heard him ask that question, and looked to Lelouch as well. She was wondering the same.

Lelouch paused for a moment, then sighed while shaking his head. "I can't say for certain."

The other two's expressions fell disappointedly. Milly clenched her fist, "Well then, you can at least humour us."

Rivalz huffed, "I dunno Pres, I don't really want to get lied to again."

Lelouch interrupted them, "I'll try. That's what you want to hear, isn't it? If it's possible: I'll see you again. Alright?"

Milly smiled and bounced over to him, so she could force him into another hug. "Yes!"

Rivalz just stood back and chuckled. "Then it's a promise, okay buddy?"

Lelouch gave an uneasy laugh, but agreed. It wasn't a huge weight on his mind. If he couldn't fulfill it, it wouldn't be a catastrophe. Besides, it wasn't like he'd never broken a promise before.

xx

There weren't many people on the sidewalks at that time of day. It was well past noon. He could walk down the street virtually undisturbed.

The address was located on the other side of the city, but Lelouch considered it lucky that she was in Japan at all. There was nothing tying her here anymore, and she often talked of traveling.

Well, not really. She didn't talk much of anything. He just assumed that was what she planned to do after he… left.

But she was in Tokyo. If it had turned out that she wasn't in Japan, it would've been impossible to track her down. She was an extremely "off the grid" kind of person. That pizza obsession of hers was the only mark she ever made. And using that to find her whereabouts proved to be very effective.

He glanced back to the paper where Milly had written the address. It was a hotel room. Easy to find.

Since it was the middle of the afternoon, the clerks weren't too concerned with him. He walked right by the front desk and into the elevator, making sure to completely obscure his face from the cameras. When he reached her floor, he proceeded down the hall and found the room. A 'Do Not Disturb' marker was hanging on the doorknob, with 'Unless You're Delivering Pizza' added to the bottom in permanent marker. He rolled his eyes at it, but smirked. It was typical of her.

Still, there were parts of her that were difficult to anticipate. He had no idea what to expect. How she would react to him being alive after all this time. But he couldn't hesitate any longer, and knocked on the door.

She emerged almost immediately, counting some money in her hands. "Took you long enough," She muttered. Her voice was still in that low monotone, like always. "Two thousand, right?" She was already handing him the handful of yen when she noticed that he wasn't the pizza delivery boy. "You-" Her voice stopped in her throat when she glanced up at him. For a normal person, she didn't look incredibly shocked, but for her: she was stunned. Her lips parted, mouth hanging agape ever so slightly. She still didn't say anything.

He smiled, relieved that it was her. If it had been anyone else, he would've had a serious problem. "C.C." She only stared at him. To break the awkward tension, he walked around her and into the room. He heard her shut the door and threw the homburg onto the unmade bed. A tower of pizza boxes stood between it and the far wall. "It's a good thing you never eat anything but pizza," he started, turning back around to face her, "otherwise I would've never found-" He was suddenly cut off by her palm making contact with the side of his face. His head was forced to the side from her slap, and he was frozen in place. Dumbstruck.

She was seething at him. Her lips were pursed. "You…" she spat, but then she took in a huge breath and he saw the tears gathering in her eyes. She tried shaking her head side-to-side, tried to get rid of them, but it was useless. Her fists and jaw clenched. "You fool," her voice had grown softer. Then she felt the cry coming, and she hated it when people saw her cry. She stepped towards him and buried her face in his chest, but that didn't stop her from beating her fists against it as well. "What are you doing here?"

He was still standing motionless, watching her emotional roller coaster happen in real time. When she suddenly clung to him, it snapped him out of his daze. "I was hoping you'd be able to tell me." he admitted. Then he remembered what Milly had told him about girls crying on his shoulder. He never expected to follow any of Milly's advice, but at that moment, it seemed appropriate.

"Lelouch," she mumbled. He could barely hear her. "You were dead."

He lightly scoffed at her. "I already know that."

"And yet you're here." It was becoming clear that she was really talking to herself. She took a step back and looked him in the face. "How is it possible?"

"Coming from a witch," he smirked, "it must be something."

She shot him a flat look. "Our situations are different." But his comment gave her a thought, "Do you have a code? Have you noticed one?"

He looked at her, puzzled. "How would I know?"

She lifted up her lime-coloured bangs, revealing the red geass sigil on her forehead. "A code, do you have one?"

He shook his head no. "Not that I'm aware of."

"I didn't think so," she sighed and lowered her hand, turning away from him. "I would've known if you had one, but I had to be sure."

"A code is what you have, isn't it? It's what makes you immortal."

She nodded. "It is." There was a pause.

"My geass is gone." He breathed, breaking the silence.

"Our contract was completed." She explained matter-of-factly.

He waited for her to elaborate, but she never did. "I need it back."

"There's no guarantee," she confessed. "It all depends on what's brought you back here. You may not have the ability anymore."

"I have to. Otherwise I wouldn't be here." His expression was serious, then he smirked at her ironically. "C.C., will you agree to my contract?"

She looked back to him and studied his face. Eventually, a tiny grin formed on her lips. "I suppose I could."

In order for C.C. to use any of her power on someone, there had to be some form of physical contact. It could be any physical contact, but in Lelouch's case, she had made a habit out of kissing him to reach into his mind. Still, it always managed to catch him off-guard.

When she made the contact, he saw images passing rapidly in front of his eyes. He felt himself falling, flying through the huge blue, luminescent tunnel. The usual C's World sensations. C.C.'s voice came to him in an echo, speaking of the "Power of the King." It was all very familiar.

But when he reached the end, when he thought he should've returned to his body, a great white light overtook him. The warmth of it surrounded him, and he felt himself being catapulted back, into the past.

xx

**Author's Notes-** So C.C. finally shows up. After this, a lot of stuff starts happening... Flashback in the next chapter. Please review!

**Until then,**

_**-Destiny**_


	9. Eighth Pass

**Chapter Eight**

_It was warm. Comfortably warm. He couldn't remember the last time he was this relaxed. So at ease. Perhaps never. _

_He could feel his entire body being pelted with warmth, like beams of the sun laying across him. They pinned him down, fogging his mind. He felt groggy, but it was peaceful. He didn't want to climb out of sleep yet- it felt like the most incredible rest he'd had in a long while. _

_His head felt light and airy, his muscles completely loose. Every problem, responsibility, or catastrophe that had weighed him down before didn't matter then. It could wait._

_Did he even have any responsibilities? He couldn't remember anymore. Oh well. If it was really so important he'd remember, wouldn't he? _

_Something cool and smooth passed over his forehead, and combed through his hair. He groaned, upset that whatever was doing it was ruining his moment of bliss. Then it happened again, this time less abrasively. Eventually he didn't mind it much. It was soothing too, in its own way. But he was also curious as to what it was. _

_He allowed his eyes to open in slits. It was incredibly bright. The source of all the warmth was absolutely blinding. Was it the sun? But immediately after he opened his eyes the "something" that disturbed him stopped. Instead, the light in his eyes was alleviated by an odd-shaped blob getting in the way. It didn't take another second for him to realize it was a person's silhouette. His head was resting on their lap._

_The backlighting made the silhouette too dark, too obscured by shadow to see who it was. But it was a woman, he could see their long hair… and the way they wore it was familiar to him. And then:_

"_You're awake." Her voice was high and bright. She spoke with a soft casualness, like she had just been waiting there for him. When his eyes finally focused he could see her clearly, smile and all. _

"_Euphie…" Euphemia. His younger half-sister. The younger sister to Cornelia. Even as her name left his lips he could hardly believe it. It was too unreal. She was dead. She had been for over a year. She was a huge motivation for him. After what he'd done to her… Ruining her name. Destroying everything she'd worked for. Forcing himself to kill her._

_She only broadened her smile, her lavender eyes gleaming. "Yes, Lelouch." The way she responded made it sound like he had asked a question. But he knew it was really her. Somehow._

"_Where am I?" _

_That made her smile lessen, but it wasn't in sadness, it looked more like pity. "You don't remember?" He shook his head. He could recall everything except whatever just recently happened. Perhaps it was too fresh, and had yet to settle in his mind. "You're dead." _

_Dead, huh? In the back of his mind, he was concerned with his… lack of concern. His utter lack of surprise. But he didn't fight it. Just accepted it. His memories were swimmingly coming back to him. He knew it was true. "Suzaku," he muttered at last, and Euphemia nodded. "So he did it."_

"_What you did was very brave." Her hand grazed his cheek again as she spoke. _

"_No, it wasn't," he shook his head a second time, "It was cowardly. I was only attempting to bury my mistakes. I didn't clear your name or anything. I couldn't." _

"_That may be so, but you never forgot about me."_

_Then he suddenly found the energy in himself to sit up. He brought a hand to his head and rubbed at his eyes. "How could I? You didn't deserve any of it." The familiar pang of guilt hit him in chest. He'd never meant to cast that Geass Command on her. And the fact that she'd been the only person to ever resist one so adamantly made it even worse. Still, it wasn't any consolation. He couldn't possibly forgive himself with the excuse of a hopeless accident. _

_Come to think of it, Suzaku would never forgive him for it either. He had made that perfectly clear. _

_Euphemia leaned closer to him and placed her hand on his arm. A mass of her bright pink hair fell over her shoulder. "It doesn't matter, because I forgive you." _

_Lelouch jerked his head around to stare at her in disbelief. She was smiling warmly at him. Truthfully. "You… There's no way you could possibly do that." She didn't break his gaze. How could she even think of forgiving him? No one had ever said that to him before. "But I killed you." _

_She hummed a laugh, "It wasn't your fault. I know you would've never done something like that on purpose." _

"_It doesn't matter-"_

"_Perhaps not to you," she interrupted, "but it does to me." _

"_But I-" this time he was cut off by her pressing her fingertips onto his lips. She kept them there._

"_Lelouch," she brought her other hand to her own lips and silently shushed him. When she winked at him she tried to stifle the girlish giggle that threatened to spill out. "You mustn't berate yourself like this. I've forgiven you, but it seems you haven't forgiven yourself yet. I may have been a victim of circumstance, but what happens, happens. You must accept that... It's an order from Princess Euphemia li Britannia. Now will you uphold it?" _

_He stared at her for the longest time, just trying to grasp whatever it was that made her so unbelievable. She was forgiving him. _Forgiving him_, for forcing her to go against her entire nature and slaughter hundreds of innocent people. Superimposing the horrific name of Massacre Princess onto her. Shooting her in cold blood in some feeble attempt to correct his mistake. _

_He shut his eyes. She forgave him. Euphemia was wonderful. Absolutely. But that only made it more of a shame. That so few people would know exactly how amazing she was. Although, it was the same for him too, wasn't it? He didn't think of himself as "wonderful" or anything, but the person the majority of the world saw was not him. Very few people knew who he truly was. Sometimes, he doubted if _he _even knew it. But they were the same. In a very, very basic way._

"_I will," he murmured, after a long silence. She pulled her hand away from his lips, and he heard her give a content sigh. Accomplished. _

_There was another silence, but it was brief, as Euphemia interrupted it. "Have you realized where we are yet?" _

_He blinked at her in surprise, then remembered his earlier question. "Not exactly."_

_She let her hands rest in her lap. Their previous conversation forgotten. "I would call it limbo, I suppose… But I'm sure you'll have a better word for it. It's where people show up after they pass, where they can choose to wait for their loved ones, or move on."_

"_Move on?" he repeated, the words sounding sinister somehow. In fact, everything she had just said sounded sinister and make-believe._

"_You know, leave. Disappear. When I first arrived, I met Clovis. He was relaxing on a beach somewhere, just not ready. In a lot of ways, I'm not sure if this place even exists or not."_

_That sounded familiar… "C's World." he mumbled, really to himself, but he earned a strange look from Euphemia anyway. "It's like a separate plane of existence, I guess. Even I'm not too sure what it is exactly… In this world, we don't exist physically. There's nothing physical about it." She nodded, listening intently. "I suspect that 'moving on' is just joining the collective unconscious… Once that happens, you don't even exist in this realm. You don't exist at all."_

"_That explains it..." she said_

"_You're waiting for someone then?" he asked, already having a few ideas of who it might be._

"_Of course, that's why I'm still here." Then she sighed. It was a mix of frustration and disappointment. "I want to tell Suzaku… to let go of all of his rage. It's unfortunate that I can't do that now, while it's still relevant, you know?" He nodded, because he understood what she meant completely. _

_She started to look around, as if she was expecting something, and he quirked an eyebrow at her. "What are you doing?"_

_That made her smile return to her face. "You didn't think I was the only one here, did you? There are others who wait. Its not just me."_

_A stern look came across his face. Pondering. But his thought process was quickly jolted by a voice coming from behind him. It was young, timid but hopeful. "Lulu?"_

_He practically jumped to his feet, and turned to face her. Guilt settled back into his chest. "Shirley." _

_She repeated his name to herself in some form of validation. The tears in her eyes contradicted the smile on her lips, and she rushed forward to embrace him. He actually responded to it. "It's been so long," she squeaked, "It feels like it's been so long." _

"_Shirley you waited… for me?" he breathed, exasperated. Then he noticed that he could no longer feel Euphemia's presence behind him. He was sure that if he turned around, he wouldn't even see her anymore._

"_Of course I did." She answered, because according to her, their last conversation should be all the explanation he needed._

"_But why?" He took a step back so he could look her in the face. He just couldn't understand it. "You shouldn't even be here. If it wasn't for me- no, if you had never gotten involved with me, you wouldn't be like this. That's why I ordered you to forget about me."_

_She held up her hand to silence him, knowing that if she didn't, he would just keep going on like that. "Even after you did that, I was still curious about you. I told you when I was dying, didn't I? It doesn't matter how many times I'm made to forget it. I would always end up falling in love with you." _

_Yes, he remembered. Of course he remembered that. "But I was Zero." he told her, trying to change her mind for some reason. "What about your father?"_

_Her face fell a little bit, but she wasn't melancholy. "Zero killed my father. Lulu, you killed my father- and I loved him. I thought I could never forgive Zero for that. No matter what he was trying to accomplish, I couldn't see why my father had to die for it too." She paused for a second, thinking he'd say something, but he never did. "But when I found out it was you I was so confused. Why would Lulu do something like that? But I couldn't hate you. I just couldn't. And then all of a sudden, Nunnally was the viceroy, and you were still fighting. You were fighting all by yourself, and I really couldn't hate you for that. I didn't understand it all until after Rolo killed me. Euphemia told me everything. And I knew why Nunnally was the viceroy, but you were still… you."_

"_Euphie told you…?" _

"_All this time," she interrupted him, and cupped his cheek with her hand, "I had no idea. You were a prince."_

_He wasn't listening to her entirely. "So you know everything? About Nunnally and I, and why we came to Japan?"_

_Now her face was melancholy. "I'm so sorry, Lulu… Now I know why I couldn't bring myself to hate you. I had to forgive you." _

_There was that word again. Forgiveness. He wasn't sure he deserved any of it. _

_Then another voice came from directly behind him, so close it made him jump. "You shouldn't brood, Lelouch." It was Euphemia again. She had reappeared at some point. Her voice sounded strange. Different somehow. "Tomorrow is coming." _

_Again, he raised an eyebrow at her. "What are you talking about?" _

_Shirley went to stand beside Euphemia, and watched him with an unwavering smile. "It's what you wanted, isn't it?" He couldn't shake the feeling that the mood had just shifted dramatically. He took a few steps backwards, away from them. _

"_You asked for tomorrow." Euphemia took slow steps towards him, while he continued to retreat. _

"_Are you ready?"_

"_Tomorrow is in jeopardy." _

_His head was spinning. Something wasn't right. It felt like he'd been there five minutes, but also five years. They were speaking in riddles. And then they stopped advancing, and he stopped as well, out of curiosity. But they just stared at him, smiling. Eerily silent. _

_Then Shirley shut her eyes. "It's time," she breathed, and disappeared into thin air. Right in front of him. But before he even had the chance to register it, Euphemia's voice came to him. _

"_Goodbye, Lelouch."_

_And she too was gone, and the bright light was fading. The ground fell out from beneath him and he plummeted down, into darkness. _

xx

"Jeremiah, I'm afraid we have a dire situation on our hands." Nunnally's voice was quivering as she spoke. She was wringing her hands in her lap.

Jeremiah sat across from her in the meeting chamber, the same room everyone had tea in just two days earlier. "What is it Your Majesty?"

She never bothered to correct Jeremiah when he used such honoraries to address her- it was imbedded in his brain as a military man. "I believe Zero told you of some soldiers we'd found that were still under the influence of Geass, correct?" He nodded, and she gave a heavy sigh. "And you took care of them with your canceller… but during that time, you didn't happen to see Schneizel, did you?"

Jeremiah's face fell. "Yes, I did. Afterwards… but I had just assumed he'd entered the courtyard after the device was deactivated. He didn't seem to be acting strangely… You don't think that he…"

"Unfortunately, I do." she said, feeling the dread rising in her. If Schneizel's Geass command was cancelled, there's no telling what would happen. And everything her brother had created would be laid to waste.

"Have you informed Her Highness Cornelia? Or Zero?"

She shook her head. "No, I wanted to confirm my suspicions with you first, and now that my doubt is quickly diminishing… I feel I have no choice but to tell them."

Jeremiah set back in his chair. Her dread was rubbing off on him. "And what shall we do if his command has indeed been cancelled?"

"I don't know, Jeremiah. I just don't know." Tears began to fall from her eyes, and he was immediately at her side. She brought her hands to her face as her body racked with a single sob. She was scared. So very scared.

Jeremiah placed one hand on her shoulder and the other on her knee. "It will be alright, Your Majesty. Whatever happens, you will have me and many others at your side."

"Oh, Jeremiah. I'm so frightened… I feel like I've… Like I've failed Lelouch." Nunnally turned her head to look at him, her tears still flowing. "If something happens, and Schneizel ruins everything… it will be my fault. I wasn't careful enough. Oh, brother, I'm so sorry. You sacrificed so much, but I…"

"Your Majesty… Nunnally…" Jeremiah spoke her name informally, and it sounded foreign to him- but it was enough to get her attention. "He would not blame you. You can't think for a moment that he would. He made this world for you. He could never be angry with you."

"Are you certain of that?" Her voice was scratchy. She was rubbing at her eyes as she spoke.

He nodded, smiling his gentlemanly smile. "Absolutely."

xx

The next time Lelouch opened his eyes he recognized the bland interior of the hotel room. He could hear the dull sounds of the television, and the strong scent of cheese and garlic wafting through the air. A horrendous headache was throbbing in his skull like a drum. He groaned and slowly set himself upright. Leaned his back against the headboard of the bed he'd been lying on.

"What was that?" C.C. asked, her voice void of any emotion as always. She was sitting in a chair and watching the television with a slice of pizza in her mouth. Her arms were wrapped around the bright yellow plush doll known as Cheese-Kun. "You've been unconscious for a few hours."

"I'm not sure…" he muttered, the effort to speak only worsening his headache. "I think it was a memory. Of what happened while I was gone."

"Dead, you mean?" Her words held an edge to them. He could sense there was still something she wasn't telling him, but he didn't bother with it.

"Yes," he retorted, but it wasn't harsh at all. "During that time, I was in C's World."

"Did you figure out the reason you've returned?" She was apathetic once again. The edge was gone.

"Not exactly," he let his gaze drift over to the window, which showed the city now blanketed in darkness. "Euphie and Shirley, they kept talking about tomorrow- saying that it's what I wanted."

"That's what you told the collective unconscious. When you killed Charles and Marianne." she spoke matter-of-factly, and he redirected his attention to her. "Charles wanted the past. Schneizel the present. And you wanted the future."

"Yes, I remember, but they said it was in jeopardy."

C.C. only shrugged. "I can't speak for that." There was a pause. A moment of evaluation for the both of them. For a second, Lelouch thought that she'd simply returned to watching television, but she suddenly spoke again. Hesitation danced on the fringe of her voice. "Has your Geass returned?"

His Geass. Of course. That was the entire reason he'd experienced the flashback in the first place. He ignored his headache and marched over to the bathroom sink, staring at his reflection in the mirror perched above it.

His eyes looked the same. When he died, his Geass had reached the highest level of manifestation: It was permanently active in both of his eyes. But there was nothing there now.

The smallest hint of worry passed over him. What if he could never get it back? That would be it. His greatest weapon- gone. He would be powerless. How was he supposed to accomplish anything without it?

He closed his eyes, trying to recall what it was like when he'd first received the power. It wasn't exactly a conscious effort to activate it, but it wasn't entirely subconscious either. It just worked when he needed it to. When he wanted to be heard. He searched deep inside himself and brought out that compulsion. That desire for power where he felt he had none. The scarcely noticeable hysteria he felt inside when something was out of his control.

When he opened his eyes again the right one was normal, but the iris of his left eye had turned a bright, fluctuating red. The familiar symbol of Geass rested in the center. Like that of a phoenix rising from its ashes. His headache was gone.

He smirked at his reflection. Things had just gotten a lot easier.

xx

**Author's Notes-** Truthfully, I'm not that confident in this chapter... Maybe some of you can help me see what's wrong with it?

**I'm reaching the end of the pre-written chapters...**

**-_Destiny_**


	10. Ninth Pass

**Chapter Nine**

In a nondescript area in downtown Tokyo, men of the Japanese military were scrambling about. They moved through offices, warehouses and underground hangars in order to carry out their superior's directions. One man held a clipboard as his partner read off the specs of a Knightmare Frame; another was organizing ammunition with his own troop of soldiers; and a group of higher-ups were discussing locations and drawing routes onto a large map of the city.

None of the foot soldiers knew why they were performing these tasks, but they trusted in their commanders. Orders were orders. That was their way of life.

Another man stood at the front of the main warehouse with his hands behind his back. He was shouting at the other men to hustle, dropping General Tohdoh's name every now and then. It was his job to make sure everything was done and done to expectations.

Just as he was going to assemble the men, the door behind him opened and Tohdoh trotted into the warehouse. The man turned on his heel and saluted him. "General Tohdoh, sir. What brings you here?"

"Just a systems check." He muttered. Tohdoh had always been all business.

He looked tired. First fighting against Britannia in the Second Pacific War, then heading the Japan Liberation Front, joining the Black Knights, and fighting against Britannia again during the Great War, only to become the General of the Japanese Military… it was all so tiring. His subordinate was surprised he was able to do all of it.

But Tohdoh had his plans. Once he was certain that Japan was stable in the new world, he would relinquish his position. He never wanted to be in a position of power anyway- especially a head of any kind. That's why he never complained while he acted under Zero.

Being the leader was full of nothing but trouble. If anything ever goes wrong, it falls on you, regardless if it was truly your fault.

It was only a matter of time. He'd been the General for a while now, and it had been a year since Japan was liberated. Truly liberated. Ohgi had appointed him, trusted him to rebuild the Japanese Military, so he couldn't just refuse. Retirement was in his reach, but it's his luck: everything was about to fall apart.

With Schneizel missing, the worst case scenario was that his Geass command had been broken. The absolute worst. At this rate, Tohdoh would never get to retire.

As he was thinking of this, his subordinate took it upon himself to assemble the soldiers in the room. They lined up in an orderly fashion at Tohdoh's feet.

"If I may, sir, we have carried out your orders. We urge you to give us our orders for tomorrow as well, sir."

Tohdoh took a deep breath and walked towards the side of the warehouse. The soldiers followed him with their eyes. Shoved off in a corner, close to the entrance, was a computer with a large screen. At the moment, it was displaying a map of Tokyo. Tohdoh went to it and in no more than a few seconds a picture of Schneizel came up on the screen.

"We will be searching for this man, Schneizel el Britannia. I will not discuss the details with you, but it is pertinent that we find him. Parts of the Britannian Armed Forces will be assisting us tomorrow morning. The public will be informed that we are running tests and practicing maneuvers, so there will be no panic." He paused, scanning the group of soldiers sternly. "Not a word of this mission is to leave this room. If any of this is leaked, the fabric of our entire civilization may be unraveled. Is that understood?"

Every last soldier in the room brought their hand to their head in salute. "Yes, sir!"

xx

"Nunnally! I missed you so much!" Milly screamed, as she lunged towards the young empress to pull her into a suffocating hug.

Nunnally gave an uneasy laugh, "Oh, Milly, I missed you too." She gestured towards the table, which was decorated with tea things once again. She instructed Milly to have a seat, and the older girl happily complied. Rivalz followed her example- after saying hello to the hostess first of course.

They were the last ones to arrive. Already seated around the table were the friendly faces of Kallen and Nina, and the imposing face, or lack thereof, of Zero.

Nunnally clasped her hands together as she returned to her spot beside her bodyguard. "It's so good to see everyone again. How have you been?" All the guests' responses were generally the same. They were making it alright. Nunnally said it was good and raised her teacup to her lips. It was great to get away from the Schneizel Situation for a while. It was wearing on her nerves. Zero had even suggested that she cancel the tea party because of it, but she insisted upon it. He didn't bring it up again.

"I know this may seem like improper timing," Nunnally started, "what with the… anniversary that was a few days ago, but I'm so happy that everyone made it."

Rivalz waved his hand to dispel her worries. "What, you'd think we'd miss this? You're like our family, you know!"

A gentle smile appeared on Nunnally's face. "Thank you, Rivalz."

"He's right," Milly added, her voice losing some of it's boom. "Since you lived at Ashford with us for so long, you're like our kid sister."

"That's…" The empress had to struggle to hold back her tears. Zero noticed that she'd paused, and placed his hand on hers. Jeremiah was right. She had so many people on her side. So many great people. "Thank you, you're all so wonderful."

Kallen showed a sympathetic smile. She knew all too well what was going on in Nunnally's mind- behind the scenes.

"You and Lelouch both," Rivalz declared, "You're our family!"

Milly gave him a sidelong glance. She wasn't entirely comfortable with him talking like that. They were the only ones in the room that knew Lelouch was actually alive. She didn't want to compromise him by revealing that fact. Even to Nunnally.

"Yes, and I know my brother didn't show it much, but he really cared for you all." Nunnally squeaked, rubbing the tears out of her eyes.

Milly grinned, "Don't worry Nana. We know."

"Even more than I had realized, at first." Nina nervously readjusted the glasses on her face as she spoke. "I thought that what he was doing was crazy… But I could tell he had a heavy conscious. And even though I knew he was Zero, I decided-" She was cut off by Milly's spoon suddenly falling from her hand and clattering onto her saucer.

She and Rivalz stood up and shouted simultaneously: "_What?_" Kallen's eyes were wide and stuck on Nina, who put her hands over her mouth. Within the mask, Zero's eyes darted to her worriedly, almost furiously, but he forced himself to not make any obvious movements. Nunnally brought her hand to her face.

Rivalz looked dumbfounded. "Wait. You're telling me that Lelouch was Zero? _The _Zero. The terrorist, Black Knights, _Zero_?" he babbled. There was no way. Zero was sitting just across the table from him, wasn't he?

No one answered, so Milly pointed to the Zero sitting in the room. "Then who's this?" Still nothing. She took a deep breath to gather her thoughts. "Since Rival and I are the only hysterical ones, I'm guessing everyone else knew it already…" She glanced across the table accusingly. "Kallen?"

Kallen, caught off-guard, held her hands up like she didn't want to get dragged into it. "Well, I-"

"You _were _a Black Knight, so I guess it's only natural…" Milly interrupted. "But how could he have possibly managed that?"

"Wait, Prez." Rivalz breathed, mulling it over. "It makes sense. He started acting really weird when Zero had first shown up. I didn't think anything of it at the time, though. And he was skipping class more often than usual…"

Nunnally sighed, "I'm sorry that the two of you had to find out like this… but yes, it is true." The flabbergasted pair collapsed into their seats. "My brother was Zero. The original Zero."

Milly was stunned into silence. Nina was apologizing to Nunnally, mumbling something about being sorry she'd ever mentioned it.

Then Kallen hesitantly spoke up, "I didn't really know it at first either, but after the Black Rebellion, I knew."

"This explains a lot," Milly murmured to herself.

"Man," Rivalz exclaimed, "I'm friends with the coolest guy in the world."

That made Milly giggle, "Yeah, I suppose we are, Rival… But," her gaze went back to the masked man sitting beside Nunnally, "That doesn't explain this. It's obviously not…"

"No," Nunnally explained, "This Zero is… different. But who's behind the mask isn't important- it's what the mask stands for." Zero nodded stiffly and mechanically. Silently.

Milly looked skeptical, Kallen felt uncomfortable, and Nina had since withdrawn into herself, not wanting to mess anything else up.

Rivalz was staring Zero down. He wasn't even attempting to hide it. Who could Lelouch have trusted enough to let them guard his little sister? Take over his role? Then he remembered something Lelouch had told him just the day before. "… just with a different set of priorities."

"No way…" Rivalz exhaled as he spoke the words, releasing them into the room. Milly gave him a puzzled look. _'Suzaku,' _he thought, _'It's gotta be.'_ He'd figured it out, but he wasn't saying a word. He only chuckled to himself quietly and said: "Lelouch, you clever bastard."

Now Milly was thoroughly confused, and she was going to make Rivalz explain himself on their way back. One way or another.

Zero was certain that Rivalz had seen through him. He knew the rest of the afternoon would be extremely awkward for him. Thankfully though, Rivalz hadn't revealed him. Perhaps he understood the gravity of the information. He didn't really see Rivalz as someone who was holding on to a lot of heavy secrets… But then again…

Milly let out an incredulous laugh, breaking the silence. "I really don't know anything about him, do I? I thought that knowing about his bloodline was enough, but this…"

"Don't worry, Milly." Nunnally reached for the older girl's hand, "I didn't know about it until a few months before… Well, you know what happened." She swallowed hard, not wanting to remember it.

"Why don't we talk about something else?" Kallen laughed uneasily. For some reason, she felt like she'd been the one exposed. Nunnally agreed on the subject change.

The empress made sure to control the conversation from that point on. For the rest of the gathering, they mainly reminisced about happy times back at Ashford Academy.

Eventually though, Nunnally knew that she had to tend to the matter at hand: Schneizel disappearing. It worried her, but seeing all of her friends and knowing that they stood behind her gave her the reassurance she needed. Even if she didn't have her brother there as a safety net anymore, she would make it. She had to.

xx

C.C. was jadedly flipping through the channels on the television. She wasn't really looking for anything. Just staring at the screen as it would abruptly change picture.

"Wait, what was that?"

She rolled her eyes. Backtracking really was such a hassle. But she went back a few stations to see what he was referring to.

Lelouch sat on the edge of the bed and said "Right there," as the television landed on a news program.

C.C. smirked. "I can't recall you watching the news very often. You would spend most of your time _on _it." His lips formed a straight line, but he didn't say anything. She gave a hardly noticeable sigh. "What's fascinating enough to capture your attention?"

"This." He deftly pointed to the screen. The tag at the bottom of the broadcast was a warning. The Japanese military was going to run some tests downtown the next day. It told the public not to panic if they happened to see some troops or even Knightmare Frames roaming about the city.

She eyed it for a moment, "And why does this pique your interest?"

He gave her a sidelong glance, as if it was obvious. "Because it's not true."

"Is that so?"

"The Japanese Government wouldn't endanger the public with 'tests'. There are special facilities for that. Has this happened before?"

She pondered for a moment, "I don't believe it has. But what else would they be doing?"

His attention returned to the broadcast. "That's what I'd like to know."

She also went back to the television. Her voice was monotone. "The governments are certainly acting strangely."

"What do you mean?"

"The Britannian one as well." she sighed, "According to what I've heard, Nunnally and her officers were supposed to return to the Homeland today. They claim to be postponing their leave because of Nunnally's history in Japan. She wants to take more time to visit."

"Well, that certainly sounds like her." he mumbled. "But since it's parallel with Japan's odd behavior, I wouldn't trust that excuse."

"Neither would I." she added, punctuating his thoughts. But she had nothing left to say, and watched the gears turning in his head. A few minutes ticked by.

"Something's happened." he spoke at last, standing up dramatically and walking to stare out the window. "And whatever it is, it has both of the governments responding. Rather frantically at that."

C.C. had since gotten up from her chair, and laid down on the bed with Cheese-Kun still in her arms. Her head hung off the edge of the mattress as she looked up at him, green hair cascading down to the floor. "What do you suppose it means?" She spoke lightly, feigning interest.

"That has to be it." he murmured to himself, thinking out loud. But he elaborated before she had the chance to ask. "What they meant by tomorrow being in jeopardy. It has to be the same thing the governments are fretting over."

"You think so?" Again with her sarcasm.

"I do."

Then he was silent, but C.C. could see that his thoughts were still raging. "And what shall be our course of action now, Lelouch?" she asked, just to give him a push.

It took him another moment to answer. "C.C., are you still able to contact some former members of the Black Knights?"

A sly grin sprouted onto her face. She swiped a cellphone from the side table and immediately began to dial. "You say that as if you doubt me."

xx

Early the following morning, Nunnally received an urgent call from the Britannian Embassy. Her presence at the Embassy was requested, and of course she obliged.

While Zero, on the other hand, was busy dealing with a report from the patrolling Japanese troops involving a man matching Schneizel's description on airport security footage. He would always abandon anything he was doing in order to accompany Nunnally- but it was her decision to let him be. She was surrounded by very capable people- including Jeremiah Gottwald, who insisted he join her- and didn't want to place any more burden onto Zero.

Cornelia decided to remain in the more nondescript of the government offices, where her "headquarters" was located. Along with her was her trusted knight Guilford, and the General of the Japanese Military Kyoshiro Tohdoh. Tohdoh was collaborating very closely with the Britannian government simply based on the fact the greatest threat to the New World's peace had disappeared. It was seeming more and more like Schneizel had just up and walked away, without anyone noticing.

And all the while, no one outside of the Embassy, not even Zero, was aware of Nunnally's true whereabouts. She had left without a word, and that small choice would later prove to save her and the world from a great deal of grief.

xx

**Author's Notes-** At last, my reservoir is depleted... The next chapter will be posted when I get around to writing it, and the story finally picks up and moves a lot faster from this point on.

The very last section is a first draft, and may be edited at some point.

**Or maybe not,**

_**-Destiny**_


	11. Tenth Pass

**Chapter Ten**

Kallen turned and looked over her shoulder again. It was the umpteenth time she'd done it that day, but she felt it necessary somehow. The air of the city was bearing down on her, and she had this overwhelming sense of dread. It was one of those feelings that stirred deep in her core, like something was about to happen. Something was going to go horribly, horribly wrong, but she had no idea where this feeling was emerging from.

A car down the street blew its horn and she jumped. Her heart fluttered about. She sighed, embarrassed with herself. She'd never been this jumpy before. But she supposed that you're the easiest to startle when you know something's going to happen, yet you don't know exactly when.

Her hand found its way to the Knightmare key she kept slung around her throat. She gripped the makeshift necklace to regain her composure. Her certainty. It was comforting, because being in the cockpit of the Guren used to be the only place she could truly be herself. Where she could be in control. It gave her power. The ability to fight.

Rakshata had built it, but it was Zero that chose her as the most suitable pilot. He gave it to her- gave all of those things to her.

A smile formed on her face as she trotted down the street. She was surrounded with warmth, and all of her previous anxieties withered and crumbled into dust.

Before she realized it she found herself at her destination. It was a rather large building across town from the one Nunnally was currently staying in. It was the center of the Engineering Corps. There were large hangars in the back, and several offices and laboratories in the higher floors. Kallen went to the front desk and told the secretary her name, and that she had an appointment. The secretary then directed her to a lab in the rear of the building.

As she opened the double doors she was immediately pummeled with the cold smell of machinery. The whir of computers. A familiar, high-pitched voice called out to her from above, "Kallen, my dear!" She glanced up and saw Rakshata waving to her. "It's the most wonderful thing!"

Kallen smiled as the older woman hurried down the stairs from the 'observation deck.' "It's been a while, Rakshata. How have you been?"

Rakshata chuckled, twirling her long pipe in her fingers. "It's not a matter of how _I've_ been but how _you've_ been." The young girl looked perplexed for a moment. "Are you feeling well today?"

"A little anxious for some reason, actually..." Kallen admitted.

"Well that's perfectly understandable," she explained, and patted the young girl's shoulder. "Especially with the present I have for you today."

A present? From her? Kallen knew what it was instantaneously, without so much as a thought. Maybe her anxiety _was_ completely reasonable. "You can't be serious." She gasped.

"Oh, but indeed I am!" The older woman spouted, pleased with herself.

Back up the stairs, the two of them could hear Lloyd grumbling to "keep it down." Rakshata simply ignored him. He was just jealous that he didn't have a pilot. And if he did manage to find one, he'd never get his hands on one as skilled as Kallen.

So she bounded over to one of the hangar doors and pressed a button to open it. "Behold! My pride and joy!" The door began to slowly roll up and Kallen felt her heart skip a few beats.

The smile on her face grew wider and wider as the door raised, and when the Guren was revealed in its entirety she was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her eyes darted around, looking over the machine at lightning speed. "You work so fast." She whispered. It hadn't even been a year! And on top of that, they didn't have a lot of funding from Britannia… or any private donors for that matter … Not to mention that repairing the Guren wasn't exactly on top of their To-Do lists… For Rakshata to finish something like this in such abysmal circumstances was just incredible!

Kallen made her way across the room and ran her fingers along the Knightmare's smooth surface. "Is it operational?" she asked.

"That depends," Rakshata started, blowing out a cloud of smoke. "Are you ready for a test run?"

xx

"It's been a while since I've worked like this." Lelouch breathed. He stepped out of the shadow of the warehouse while casually adjusting the uniform he was wearing. A sly smirk was on his face, like he was trying on a new suit- but the generic foot-soldier's uniform was nothing so savvy.

C.C. gave him a bored look as she lounged in the open cockpit of the Knightmare Frame. "That's because you have no resources."

"Tell me something I don't know." He grumbled, walking to a nearby crate and picking up a helmet. It was round in shape with a visor to cover his eyes. The previous year didn't change the uniforms at all. His gaze went suspiciously from the clothes to the Knightmare that C.C. was sitting in. "And you managed to gather all of this through one phone call?"

"I did." She answered matter-of-factly. He tucked the helmet under his arm and gave her a look. "It's pertinent to keep in contact with certain people, lest I need something."

"Don't they ask questions?"

"No. They gave up on questions long ago." A short sigh eased from her, and she began to climb out of the cockpit. "But they're well aware that I work for no one." When she reached the floor, she slowly twirled around to show him her smirk. "I only chase after my own interests."

Lelouch scoffed, "Don't I know it." His remark didn't seem to faze C.C. at all, so he took her place in the Knightmare and initiated the start-up sequence.

She turned to the side and examined her fingers in some nonchalant way. "You wouldn't have it any other way," her voice was light and airy. Almost sarcastic.

He was only half-listening to her, trying to configure the machine to a particular frequency. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you love me."

That made him stop what he was doing. He turned his head and stared down at her like she was completely mental, while she simply gazed back up at him with a mischievous look spread across her face. Eventually, he laughed a few times and went back to his work. "That may be true…" he mumbled, half-heartedly to himself. Even he wasn't sure if he meant it or not.

A more genuine smile appeared on her lips as a gust of wind blew through the open door. Her bright green hair gracefully flowed behind her. She waited in the silence, not finding it uncomfortable at all. The only sound they could hear was the wind in their ears, randomly interrupted by the hums and beeps of various mechanisms in the Knightmare.

"So you plan on infiltrating Nunnally's quarters under the guise of a soldier?" she asked, as if she didn't know the answer already.

"More or less," he said while deftly flipping switches. "It doesn't have to be her, but I need to make contact with someone I can trust within the ranks. Whatever the Japanese Government is up to proves to be a decent cover. I should be able to slip in with them rather easily."

C.C. nodded, watching him. "You know where to find me."

He gave her one last glance as some form of confirmation. A silent way of saying that he did indeed know where to find her. Then he shut himself in the cockpit and the Knightmare skidded off into the street.

The virtual maps within the machine were very up-to-date, and had a mark on every road that was blocked for the "tests." He noted this is as valuable information.

The warehouse that C.C. had all of the supplies delivered to, the one he'd just left, was a while from the Britannian Embassy. According to the information C.C. was able to gather, Nunnally was staying in another building a few blocks away. It was less obvious, he supposed.

As he continued through the city, more and more specks appeared on his map. They were other Knightmares, which he'd configured his own machine to recognize and display.

There were several squads of Japanese Knightmare Frames roaming about the streets, but he didn't want to get directly involved with them. If he had to, he could easily spin some excuse as to why he was out of formation, but no one bothered him.

He figured he was just under ten minutes from his destination when chaos suddenly erupted. It was an explosion. He could feel the reverberations; see the fire and smoke billowing up from behind the many buildings in his path. It was dreadfully close to where he was headed- where Nunnally was.

In an instant, he went from calm and calculated to borderline reckless.

xx

In the Embassy, Nunnally and Jeremiah were in the middle of a meeting with some Officers when they felt a tremor run through the building. Ripples formed in the glasses of water on the table, and pictures on the wall suddenly went askew. Everyone in the room glanced worriedly at one another, while the personnel outside scrambled like mad to figure out what was going on. The dull thud of whatever caused the tremor was punctuated by the commotion going on outside of the meeting room.

Nunnally's trembling hands reached for Jeremiah as she choked out his name. Her throat felt tight and overwrought. He put her hands in a reassuring grasp, but it didn't help calm her down at all. They were both silent, like if either of them breathed the peace they had all worked so hard to cultivate would tumble and shatter like a delicate piece of glass. Jeremiah didn't want to speak optimistically to her. He didn't want to get her hopes up because the situation was looking very grim, and bringing her up would only make the drop that much further.

One of the officials in the room stood up with a nervous jerk. He unconsciously smoothed out the lapel of his jacket and went to the door, leaning out and shouting into the main workroom. "What's going on out there? I need answers!" he demanded.

Another unseen person came forward and answered him. It was a woman's voice, but she remained unseen behind the open door. "Sir, there appears to have been an explosion a few blocks away."

The man in the doorway seemed to leave his body for a moment. When he returned, he stammered: "What about Her Majesty's chambers? Were they involved in the explosion?"

The woman continued in a rushed, panicked voice. "It doesn't appear that way, but we believe that it was the intended target."

Nunnally tightened her grip on Jeremiah's hand.

"It's alright, Your Majesty," he murmured. "I ensure you; I will be here to protect you."

The empress swallowed thickly, "Thank you, Jeremiah. But it's not me that I'm worried about."

He knew who she was really worried about. Of course he did. Zero, Cornelia, and the others. That was definitely like her, to be worried over others when she's the one in danger. The Empress's life was put as top priority, above all else. She just couldn't make herself believe that, let alone put it into practice.

"Your Majesty," The official at the door turned to face her, anxiety written all over his face- although his expression seemed tense and in-control. Nunnally returned his stare. "We have an emergency bunker here in the building. It may not be extravagant but please, let us escort you there."

Nunnally looked to Jeremiah, silently asking for his opinion. He simply nodded like it was the best thing to do. "Alright… But I want to be able to contact everyone back at headquarters to make sure they're safe. As soon as possible."

X

The ground was shaking under their feet. Tohdoh and Guilford searched the room, hoping to find some benign source of the vibrations, but there wasn't one. Zero and Cornelia shared the same thought, and unintentionally spoke in unison. "What the hell was that?"

Guilford went to the closest computer and began to type furiously. He brought up some footage of the outside onto one of the large screens mounted on the walls. At the sight of the explosion, everyone in the room was deathly silent.

"Your Highness…" Guilford faltered.

But Cornelia wasn't listening to him. Her eyes were glued to the giant cloud of smoke coming from down the street. It was so close. Too close. "My god…" she whispered without thinking.

Tohdoh clenched his fists at his sides. Not again. Japan was stuck in the middle of more conflicts. The people of Japan didn't need this. They didn't need any more violence or stress. The eight years under Britannia were bad enough.

The last year had been so peaceful… Why now? Just after a year of it? Schneizel had to play some part in this. It was something Tohdoh just knew. A gut feeling.

A pulsating whistle suddenly broke into the room. It was a sensor or alarm of some sort. Guilford went to check it, and his expression grew even darker.

Upon seeing his reaction, Cornelia became even more uneasy. "What is it, Guilford?"

"According to this, there are reports of Knightmare Frames in the streets." He glossed his voice over with disillusionment. He tried to detach himself as best as possible, as was necessary in dealing with things like this. He knew he had to keep a level head.

Tohdoh took a step towards him. "Of course. I have a group of them searching the city, as a precaution."

Guilford was forced to shake his head. "No, these are not Japanese. They're coming from the Bay."

"Those EU bastards!" Cornelia shouted, slamming her fists down onto the tabletop. In her mind, she immediately conjured a skeleton of a battle plan. "We have to defend the perimeter. Zero?" She turned to face the masked man, expecting him to be listening intently, but instead he was standing off to the side, mumbling something. "Zero!" She attempted to get his attention again but it was useless, as he wasn't listening to her at all.

"I don't care, where is she?" Zero muttered, his voice starting to reach hysterics. Cornelia and the others became intrigued just as he shouted into the communicator: "Find the Empress. Now!" That successfully gained the full attention of everyone in the room.

"What's going on, Zero?" Cornelia's voice was dominating, a bit of her worry slipping away from her. "Where is Nunnally?"

"They don't know." he grumbled, exasperated. "Some of them think she's not even in the building."

The princess clenched her teeth. How could those idiots misplace the _Empress_? But there was no time to make decisions based on Nunnally's whereabouts. Cornelia refused to lose another sister. Not after what happened to Euphemia. She was going to make sure of that. "Guilford," she swung her arm around to point directly at him, "Take our forces and defend this building. If Nunnally truly isn't here, then they can't be aware of it yet, and we can defer them without endangering her." Gilford nodded his approval, and then she set her sights on Tohdoh, "Tohdoh, use your troops that are already deployed to assist us."

The two men agreed and hurried from the room. They trusted her judgment. And although Tohdoh had no obligation to Cornelia, he knew that he had to help in any way he could. In order to save the Japanese people from even more hardships.

Zero was beginning to feel nauseous. How could Nunnally simply disappear without anyone noticing? There was no way that she was captured, was there? If she was captured, or something happened to her, it meant that he broke his promise. He wasn't even capable of keeping this one promise to protect Nunnally.

A voice suddenly came from Zero's communicator and broke off his thoughts. He opened the transmission impatiently. "What is it?" he barked.

"Sir, we've located the Empress!" the voice answered.

Zero felt his body untangle itself. He was completely awash with relief. "Where is she?"

"The Embassy!" The person sputtered out the words like they couldn't say them fast enough. "She went to meet with them without a word, she said. They have her in their emergency bunker. It should be rather safe there."

Zero cut off the transmission. That was all the information he needed to hear. He faced Cornelia and spoke slowly and calmly. "Nunnally's at the Embassy."

He watched her breathe a sigh of relief, like she was undoing the knots in her limbs like he'd done just moments earlier. "Good. Now I can join Guilford on the battlefield." With that, she began to leave the room, but Zero started after her.

"Let me-"

"No." she interrupted, anticipating him. "We can't be too obvious. Besides, we shouldn't need you for this. Where you should be is the observation deck upstairs. You can get a full visual on the combat. I'll order some guards to stand by the door, just in case."

Inside the mask, Zero set his jaw. "In case of what?"

Cornelia only put on a troubled grin as she took her leave.

X

Lelouch felt his worry dissipate slightly when he saw that the explosion was only close by, and had not demolished the building. It cleared his mind in a way. There was obviously still a threat, but it was something he could handle. Something he could control. He wasn't too late. It helped him regain his rationality.

He could see that there were other Knightmare Frames coming from the Bay. They had a different signature than the Japanese ones he saw patrolling around earlier.

As he came closer to his destination, he found more Knightmares deployed there, possibly to defend it. Some of the Japanese forces were swarming around in various places and getting into position. He ducked into an alleyway beside a seemingly abandoned building. There were very few foot soldiers around, but the ones he did notice were moving about in the shadows and speaking into transmitters of some sort. They were probably serving as look-outs, or some other way of "having eyes on the battlefield," since it was very unlikely that they would see any real combat. They had Knightmares for that.

Lelouch put on a smug grin as everything fell perfectly into place. He snatched up the helmet at his feet and emerged from the cockpit of the Knightmare. With a short drop to the ground he ran off, leaving the machine behind.

X

"Come on, you have to let me go!" Kallen pleaded from within the Guren, its hatch still open. "You need a test run, and they need my help!"

Lloyd ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not my call to make." His voice was lower than usual, as he was feeling rather uneasy himself.

They had felt a slight vibration, as far away as they were, but had shrugged it off. A few minutes later, one of the other workers in the building rushed in and told them about the explosion. Now all they could do was sit back and watch.

Kallen clenched her fists. "If someone's after Nunnally, don't you think Britannia would want all the help they could get?"

The scientist shook his head. "I'm afraid we have to wait for permission to go storming onto the battlefield." He gave Rakshata a sidelong glance as he kept speaking, "This isn't like the Black Knights. You can't just burst in whenever you want to."

Rakshata scoffed and took a puff from her pipe. "It's the truth. Zero was much more entertaining than you." Her narrowed eyes went unnoticed by him.

"We're just the Engineering Corps." Lloyd continued, pretending he didn't hear her. "Therefore we fall under different jurisdictions."

Kallen looked down at the controls of the Guren dejectedly. The key was hanging lifelessly in the ignition, not quite inserted all the way. All it needed was a tiny nudge and the machine would roar to life, but her hands were tied by all of this useless… red tape! "Cornelia would never ask for help. She's too stubborn for that…" she murmured.

"This is true!" Lloyd chuckled.

"But you can convince her!" Kallen shouted, standing and pointing her finger at him. "I remember… at Narita… and Shinjuku! The Lancelot came in near the end of the battle and… ended it." The last two words were barely audible, since it was basically her admitting she was defeated by Suzaku. "You had to ask for permission then, right?"

Lloyd frowned at her, "That was for the Lancelot. This is different."

She looked flabbergasted. "Different _how_?"

Rakshata interrupted their argument with a click of her tongue. "Let's wait a bit longer. If we're really needed, I'm sure Her Highness Cornelia would be happy to have our expert assistance… In due time." A sarcastic little smile came over her face as she said Cornelia's full title.

Kallen sunk back into the cockpit, unable to do anything and feeling useless for it.

X

Two guards were standing stoically at attention at their posts outside the Control Room. They had specific orders from both Cornelia and Zero to not allow anyone inside. It served as a sufficient decoy in case any opposing forces should enter the building, and assume the Empress was inside.

What a surprise when the one actually in the room was her bodyguard.

Things certainly weren't the same anymore. Instead of giving orders and acting as commander, Zero was standing there watching the battle pan out via computer screens and diagrams. And instead of fighting on the front lines, no matter how much he wished he could be of assistance, Suzaku was bound to his role. It was the final thing Lelouch had ever asked of him, and he'd solemnly accepted it.

In fact, those were the exact words Suzaku had used when he was holding the sword in his chest.

But how could he be of any help now? He was no tactician. He was a soldier. Sure, he knew Lelouch well enough, but he didn't have enough confidence to anticipate his moves. He didn't know what to do in this situation. He couldn't ensure victory.

Stop. That wasn't his job. No, all Lelouch had asked him to do was protect Nunnally- and that was something he could definitely do. It was all he _could _do.

Outside, the two guards simultaneously became aware of a lone soldier trotting down the corridor. He wore a helmet with a visor, so the only visible part of his identity was the smirk pulling on his thin lips.

"Halt," the first guard bellowed, "Who are you, and what business do you have here, soldier?"

The smirk never faded from the stranger's face. "I have some urgent information for Zero."

The second guard huffed, "Why don't you just give that information to us and we'll make sure he gets it."

"I was ordered to deliver it directly to Zero."

"And we were ordered to not let anyone past us," the first spoke up again, "under any circumstances." He added the last part menacingly, stepping towards the stranger.

So the soldier suddenly flipped up the visor and looked the two men in the eyes. "Then I suppose you'll have to keep anyone but me from entering."

X

Cornelia, Guilford, Tohdoh, and the rest of their subordinates lined up in a particular way around the building. They didn't pay much mind to the Embassy, as Nunnally was safe inside an underground bunker, and they didn't want to bring attention to the fact that she was there. The more adamantly they defended this headquarters, the more it would seem that the Empress was here instead.

Tohdoh volunteered himself and a group of his men to go out to the front lines. Cornelia and Guilford stayed behind with their own group of soldiers. These men were only in Japan to serve as a small military outfit to oversee Nunnally's safety, but with actual conflicts breaking out, they've been forced into the fold. The princess and her knight had their own specialty Knightmare Frames, while their subordinates operated those provided by the Japanese Military.

Tohdoh lead his men out as quickly as he could to meet the onslaught. But as soon as they reached the first line of Knightmares and began to engage them, lines of large trucks came from nowhere and screeched to a stop some blocks behind them. The trailers opened and produced more Knightmares, which headed straight for headquarters.

Tohdoh cursed himself and contacted Cornelia, who informed that that she was already aware of it. He could hear the sounds of battle through her transmitter. Now they were fighting on two fronts.

A Knightmare next to him took a heavy blow and the pilot was forcefully ejected. It was difficult, considering the enemy outnumbered them. He had to think of a way to turn this around in their favor. Somehow…

Tohdoh barked orders into his own communicator, and another squad of Japanese Knightmares came up behind the group of enemy machines. The enemy was surrounded, so now those on Tohdoh's side could slowly make their way around and push the mob together again. Then two fronts would be contained to one.

But these pilots were pretty skilled, and began decommissioning the Japanese troops one after another. Tohdoh had to make quick work of this. They were at a terrible disadvantage. They needed a miracle.

A miracle. That was it. He'd always disliked the nickname 'Creator of Miracles' but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to attempt to live up to it. What would Zero do in this situation? The real Zero.

Tohdoh's mind was so preoccupied that he couldn't find an answer for that.

However, while Cornelia was preoccupied, she did manage to make a move in the right direction. She was interrupted amidst the battle by Rakshata and Lloyd, who insisted that they could be of great assistance. Cornelia didn't give it much thought before giving them the green-light, if not only to get them to stop bothering her.

But as she shut off the transmission with the scientists, she caught a glimpse of Kallen's look of ecstatic determination just before the screen went black.

X

Zero was watching the little blue marks on the screen being picked off one by one. They were losing. This wasn't good. Not at all. The combined efforts of Cornelia and Tohdoh, along with Tohdoh's resources, were fantastic- but apparently it wasn't enough. Who on earth were they going up against now?

When he heard the door behind him opening, he whipped around furiously. "I thought I ordered that no one should be allowed to enter here."

The soldier simply stopped in the center of the room, his helmet blocking his face.

Inside the mask, Zero eyed the man suspiciously. He seemed too thin to be a soldier. "What are you doing here?"

The soldier grinned, "Don't you care who I am?"

Zero flinched a bit. For a moment, he thought he'd recognized the voice- but that wasn't possible. He shrugged it off as his imagination. "I couldn't care less. I only care what's brought you here."

The stranger was silent for a second, and then he leaned over to the side to get a clear view of the screen Zero had been watching earlier. "It seems you have quite a situation on your hands."

"Enough mind games." Zero muttered, not liking the person's voice one bit.

The soldier only shrugged, "It seems I'm better at that sort of thing. Don't you think so, Suzaku?"

That made Zero freeze in his tracks. He wasn't even sure he was breathing. Now he was certain that the soldier's voice was familiar. Very familiar. "Impossible…" He breathed, that being the only word he could manage to utter.

"Though I suppose you're right." The man sighed. "In all seriousness," Then he finally removed his helmet, and Zero couldn't tell if he was dreaming or not anymore. Lelouch let the helmet drop to the floor. "I'm here to fix things. There's no time for this."

"But how-"

"If it was possible to explain, I would."

Zero held his gaze for the longest time before removing his mask as well. "But you were…" Suzaku sputtered before he was interrupted a second time.

"Suzaku," Lelouch warned, "If you do not act now, everything we've created will be destroyed."

Suzaku nodded somewhat dumbly, and Lelouch came up to join him on the platform. The latter examined the screens and diagrams carefully, while Suzaku simply stared at him, still not believing what he was seeing.

He had sent the sword through him himself. With his own two hands. That day, he had been covered in his blood. Not to mention seeing his corpse in a coffin during the funeral. And yet here he was, in the flesh? He couldn't begin to wrap his mind around it.

"I must be dreaming," Suzaku mumbled to himself, earning a look from Lelouch.

"What are you blathering about now?"

"Me?" he gave an incredulous laugh. "You're the phantom in the room!"

Lelouch raised an eyebrow at him. "Don't talk nonsense."

Suzaku bit his lip, contemplating. If he didn't know any better, he would've reached out and touched Lelouch's arm or something. Anything to make sure he was truly there and tangible. But really all Suzaku could do was burst into hysterical laughter because of how absurd the entire situation was.

Lelouch gave him a sidelong glance, assuming the boy was completely mental. Though he certainly understood why. When his eyes returned to the screen, something caught his interest. "This one here," he pointed to it with an index finger, and finally gained Suzaku's attention as well. "It's just now advancing, and remarkably fast. Who is it?"

"I think," Suzaku stared at the rapidly moving dot for a moment. "It's the Guren."

"So Kallen's still fighting?" he hummed a laugh, "Not surprising." Then he reached over to the desk and grabbed some paper and a pen. "Tell her these coordinates."

Suzaku took the slip of paper uneasily. He knew he could trust Lelouch when it came to things like this, but could he really act as the middleman? There was no telling if Kallen would listen to him. He was sure she still held some animosity towards him because of what he'd done. Since he wasn't the true Zero, and in her eyes, he never would be.

But he had to attempt it, didn't he? So he brought Kallen up via a vocal communicator. "Kallen." he spoke sternly and lowered his voice, like he felt 'Zero' would. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Lelouch smirk.

"Yes?" Kallen answered almost immediately. "I'm almost there."

"I see, but I need you at these coordinates."

As he typed the coordinates onto the computer and sent them directly to Kallen, he heard Lelouch muttering to himself whilst studying the virtual map of the city. "This would be much simpler if I could communicate with them directly..." The way he said it was like it was an afterthought.

Suzaku figured that it was easily done- considering all transmissions would be audial. No one would know it was really him… But they spoke differently. How could he explain a sudden vocal change?

Then he started coughing loudly, making sure Kallen heard it. Lelouch gave him a puzzled look.

"Are you alright?" Kallen asked. And of course, Suzaku noticed, that even though it had been over a year, she still refused to call him "Zero." Unless she was being sarcastic.

"Yes, I'm fine," Suzaku 'gasped'. He tried to make his voice sound as off as possible. "It's just a cough. But that's not important." With that, he glanced to Lelouch, who seemed to figure out what he was up to.

"I see…" she murmured. "Okay, I'm here, now what do I do?"

Suzaku stepped to the side, a humble grin on his face. He switched off the communicator for a moment so his words wouldn't leave the room. "You're better at this sort of thing than I am."

Lelouch nodded and moved into the space. He knew he had to make this believable. Kallen wasn't stupid. He cleared his throat as he reopened communication, also making sure she heard that as well. "Kallen." he heard her voice faintly respond, it seemed disoriented. "On my signal, you need to create a disturbance. I know you can handle whatever Knightmares are in the surrounding areas, but I need you to stay in that spot. Do you understand?"

She answered hesitantly. "Yes," then she added: "You know," a small laugh came through the transmission, "Right now, Zero, you're beginning to sound normal. Like you used to." There was that slight sarcasm Suzaku remembered.

Lelouch huffed non-abrasively, "I wouldn't say that." And then he immediately switched over from Kallen to Cornelia, contacting her using the same method. "Cornelia, this is Zero."

"Ah, what is it?" She sounded stressed. He figured she was in the middle of an altercation.

"Kallen is about to create a diversion, have your squad retreat for now."

There was a stunned silence on Cornelia's end. "Are you kidding me?"

He typed some more information into the computer to send to her. To better direct her. "I'm not. Order them to retreat as per the instructions I'm sending to you now."

"Look," the princess grumbled, "You'll have to forgive me for not trusting _your _instincts, but what makes you think that you know better than myself or-"

"Tell them." He commanded her, then closed communication with her. He was tempting her stubbornness, but he gave her no chance to argue.

Suzaku stood back and watched in some sort of quiet awe. That air of absurdity was still hanging about, and of course he knew why. Lelouch was dead- and yet, he wasn't. He was standing right in front of him. Suzaku had been the one to kill him for heaven's sake! It didn't make any sense!

He watched him work, give Kallen the "signal" or whatever he wasn't entirely paying attention to. He was thinking of how it was even possible for Lelouch to be alive. In fact, that was it. It _wasn't _possible. Suzaku knew very well what he'd done. It had haunted him for a while, but then again, he'd expected as much. He'd plunged the sword into Lelouch's heart- completely through his chest. So it was entirely _impossible _for him to have survived. Especially after being in a coffin for a year.

He had to be dreaming. There was no other explanation.

Lelouch was still giving orders to Kallen, while Cornelia _had _retreated. He'd given her instructions to lead her men through the underground tunnels of the transit system. The opposing troops were too busy dealing with several panicked calls for help from their comrades- who were now facing Kallen. And Suzaku knew all too well how skilled a pilot Kallen was. She wasn't the Ace of the Black Knights for nothing.

However, Suzaku wasn't really focusing on what was going on. He gave Lelouch a hard stare, looking to see if he was transparent or something, but he seemed the same as always. He directed the combined Britannian and Japanese forces with a deft hand. It was like nothing had ever happened.

But the air seemed to flow differently around him, like it also knew that something was wrong. Like it realized he didn't belong there. It was something…

Kallen's voice suddenly came over the speakers, knocking Suzaku out of his thoughts. It was a triumphant shout. Apparently, all of the troops that had responded to the SOS calls- made by those fighting Kallen- had fallen into the trap. Quite literally, since Cornelia's squadron had been instructed to strategically take out the support beams of the tunnels they had retreated through. None of the sections fell on top of Cornelia's troops, but the ones directly underneath the opposing forces were toppled, taking scores of Knightmare Frames with them. Since Kallen was ordered to stay put, the ground around her began to crumble while she was left unharmed on a small island of stability.

Suzaku blinked at the screen. "That's it?" It was so simple. He was thinking back to the Great War. Back then, they had made Mt. Fuji _erupt_. Compared to that, this was very low-scale. Extremely.

Lelouch crossed his arms, proud of himself. "It's nothing extravagant, but it serves its purpose nicely. You can't work above your means."

Suzaku looked to the screen, and upon seeing how widespread the collapse was, asked: "And what about civilian casualties?"

Lelouch gave him a look. "None that I'm aware of."

Suzaku had noticed that look. Like he didn't care about civilian casualties at all. Well, he probably did, but not to the extent that Suzaku did himself. It was important to him. "Good." he said, and clenched his jaw.

Lelouch seemed to just shrug it off, and Suzaku would be lying if he said that it didn't bother him. But he wasn't sure about anything. It felt too unreal.

This was someone he'd once called a friend. And then lines of unfortunate circumstances helped him call Lelouch his enemy. Finally, stealing a term from C.C., he became an accomplice. But he wasn't sure what he thought of Lelouch anymore. For a year he'd been a ghost- and it felt the same now. How could he possibly prepare himself to react to someone rising from the grave?

Suzaku just couldn't shake the feeling that he'd wake up tomorrow and realize this had all been a dream. He found that thought slightly depressing, but it was for some reason he couldn't quite touch yet.

xx

**Author's Notes- **Sorry that it took so long... and also that this chapter's not even that great... There's so much action, and my writing is very intrinsic. Not to mention that I desperately need to polish my 'Large Conflict/Riot Scene' writing skills. Oh, and I know there's also a number of stretches in this chapter, so to speak...

But anyway, it's incredibly long. That counts for something, right?

**Yeah, I didn't think so,**

**_-Destiny_  
**


	12. Eleventh Pass

**Chapter Eleven**

Kallen sat like a statue inside the Guren, staring at the monitors with her breath drawn. She watched them carefully as the dust and debris settled around her. Zero had told her beforehand that something was going to happen, but she certainly didn't expect to see the entire enemy force disappear beneath her feet.

They were taken out one by one at first. The smoke and dust encased them and dragged them down into nothingness. Then the circles grew larger, and more and more Knightmares were falling through the concrete. Eventually, Kallen couldn't see what was going on at all. All she had to do was stay put, as she was instructed, and she would be alright.

She'd be lying if she said she wasn't nervous. After all, this wasn't the actual Zero giving her orders and disturbing the ground beneath her. She hadn't put that much faith in Suzaku yet.

But lo and behold, when she was finally brave enough to open her eyes, she was still standing on a pillar of support. It was just large enough to hold the Guren up, and if she had faltered even a bit she would've been taken down as well.

Although that was never truly an issue, since the Guren SEITEN was equipped with Cecile's energy wings. Rakshata and Lloyd had instructed her to refrain from using them unless absolutely necessary. They didn't want to draw any unwanted attention. Energy wings were still fairly new technology, and had not yet become a staple in the mass-produced Knightmare Frames for military use. But she didn't have to use them.

As Kallen took in the destruction around her, she felt her heart leap. Not because of the victory, but because of the normalcy that came with it. This seemed so… typical of Zero. The real Zero.

A joyous laughed came from her chest and she threw her fist into the air. The cockpit of this Knightmare was truly a comforting place.

Now the only thing still weighing on her mind was Zero's behavior. Since he was acting so peculiarly, of course she'd want to know why. It was just… odd. She didn't think Suzaku had it in him. In fact, she was certain that he didn't.

Lloyd and Rakshata suddenly came over one of the screens and congratulated her. They asked her to return the Guren so they could view the new specs and information Kallen had created during the battle. Kallen didn't give it much thought before she refused. The pair of scientists put on identical expressions, like they were at a loss.

Kallen told them to send a transporter for it, because she had other things to attend to. She needed to speak with Zero, and get some information out of him.

xx

"Alright," Lelouch sighed, turning to face Suzaku with narrowed eyes. "What's going on here?"

Suzaku blinked and took an unconscious step backwards. "You're asking me?"

"Yes." Lelouch answered, like it was obvious.

"But aren't I also entitled to some answers?"

Lelouch continued without acknowledging him. "What's with this situation? Who's attacking this building?"

Suzaku felt like he was being interrogated. "I'm… not sure. Cornelia believes it's the EU, but…" Then he shook his head in a disbelieving way. He had to stop rambling. Lelouch wasn't the only one wondering what was going on. "Wait, no… First, how are you even alive?"

Lelouch knew that was going to come eventually, and it irked him even more when it actually did. "That, I don't know," he admitted, "but its not the 'How' I'm worried about right now, it's the 'Why.' Which I could easily piece together if you would just answer my questions." Suzaku shrunk back a bit, silencing his other inquiries. The situation, as it stood, was so fragile, and he didn't want to push it. Lelouch let out a patient breath. "What gives her the impression that it's the EU? Previous tensions?"

"Most likely." Suzaku shrugged. "I didn't ask her to explain."

"Is any of this related to the Japanese scouring the streets this morning?" Lelouch smirked at the exposed look that spread across Suzaku's face. "I'll take your expression as a yes. Why is it then?" His eyes went back to the maps that were being projected on the screens, examining them. He let his fingertips thoughtfully pass over the buttons on the keyboard. "The "running tests" guise was so obviously false it's laughable. What were they looking for?"

"Lelouch," Suzaku spoke sternly, his expression growing quite serious as well. It was such an abrupt shift. Lelouch gave him a sidelong glance. "It's Schneizel. He's gone." There was a pause, as he tried to gauge Lelouch's reaction, but there was nothing there. "We think his Geass command may have been cancelled."

Lelouch's eyes became distant. He glanced away from Suzaku to stare at his hands, which were sitting just below the controls. His entire body felt numb. "How did this happen?" There was nothing fueling this question. It was just instinct. His mind still hadn't fully grasped the weight of everything.

Suzaku set his jaw. "Jeremiah was cancelling the commands cast upon some rogue soldiers the day Schneizel disappeared. We can't just assume this is a coincidence."

If felt as if someone had sucked all of the air out of the room, and all he could do was stand there and gasp empty breaths. There were weights sitting on his chest. Crushing him. Suffocating him. "No. You can't." he muttered. Great. The situation was anything but good. Hell, it wasn't even bad.

If their assumptions turn out to be true, it's awful.

If anyone, Schneizel would be the only one with the capability to ruin everything. To lay it to waste. Every intricate detail that held the world together could dissolve and collapse under his onslaught. He was very close to accomplishing that during the Great War, but had been defeated. Narrowly. It was a very vital victory. And now the balance was upset.

Lelouch balled his hands into fists. A tiny bubble of panic burst within him, and he turned to Suzaku with an almost wild look in his eyes. "How could you allow this to happen? After all we've worked for, Suzaku? If your carelessness causes any-"

Suzaku's frustration mounted. "Don't stand there and accuse me!" he interrupted, glaring at him in a disbelieving way. Was he really blaming this on him? There's no way he'd allow Lelouch to finish such a foolish thought. "You act as if I'm the one that orchestrated this!" Lelouch's mouth clicked shut. "I wouldn't endanger the peace we created. Not for anything. This is not my fault."

Lelouch let out a breath to calm himself. He needed to keep his rationale, now more than ever. "Regardless, it's happened, and now you have to respond to it accordingly." Suzaku quirked an eyebrow at him, but he wasn't paying attention to it. He brought his hand to his forehead and mumbled to himself: "This must be what they meant by tomorrow being in jeopardy…"

Suzaku couldn't make out his words and cocked his head to the side. "What?"

He only shook his head. "It's nothing." Then he returned his gaze to Suzaku in a more composed manner. "So you believe that Schneizel is somehow behind these attacks by the EU?"

"That is what Tohdoh believes, yes." Suzaku nodded.

Lelouch gave a short, incredulous laugh. "And what do you believe then, Suzaku?" This earned him another puzzled look from Suzaku, and he put on a wicked smile. "Do you only trust in those around you? If you're going to continue being Zero under these circumstances then you must begin to think for yourself."

"I…" Suzaku stammered. This really didn't seem like an appropriate time to be giving him a lecture. Though he supposed that Lelouch was right. What _did _he think of the situation? In an instant, his posture changed completely. "It's the EU." He spoke matter-of-factly. He'd made up his mind. "They're the only power that could've generated this much force. They've held animosity towards Britannia since the Great War, and our allies in the Chinese Federation would never stir up such chaos for something so petty." The expression Lelouch wore told him to continue. "Before Schneizel disappeared, tensions in the EU were taught, but had not yet reached the breaking point- and without so much as a warning they ambush us just days after he vanishes. He's the only one capable of accomplishing such a feat."

Lelouch was satisfied with his answer, and nodded his approval. "You're right. There is no other logical explanation considering the information that we have." Now he knew who was causing all of this noise, but there was no question on why they were doing it. There never was. It was Nunnally. The Empress. If it had been for anything less, why was the Embassy not attacked instead? Not to mention Suzaku's odd behavior. Nunnally was being targeted, yet he was acting rather calmly. "Where is Nunnally? Is she safe?"

Suzaku had definitely anticipated that. "She and Jeremiah are in the Britannian Embassy. The Embassy has an underground safe house that they're keeping her in."

"Good." Now he was completely relieved. Although he had already guessed that she was safe, considering Suzaku's utter lack of panic. But it was always good to be reassured.

"No one knew she was there until after the blast. We can only assume that she was the intended target of this attack." Suzaku continued to explain what Lelouch had already inferred for himself.

"That would be a safe assumption." He spoke in a generally disinterested way. His mind was reeling. He was focused on so many other things.

But Suzaku was finding it difficult to think rationally. Not only was he conversing with a ghost, but they were being attacked- supposedly by someone actually capable of unraveling the world. Just a few days ago, everything had been perfect. There was nothing hinting at all of this. This chaos that ensued after Schneizel disappeared.

It just wasn't fair. After working so hard, and sacrificing so much… He had sacrificed himself, while Lelouch had sacrificed his _life_… And that only bought them a year, before fate decides to rip everything apart?

It was a snowball effect. Like dominoes, when Schneizel went missing, everything else just seemed to fall to pieces with it.

Schneizel was essentially useless in the grand scheme of things anyway… so why was he even alive? Suzaku had never thought of that before. There were so many others that stood in Lelouch's way, and he got rid of them. Even some that didn't, like Euphie, whom he killed and used like stepping stones. But why Schneizel? Why was their greatest liability allowed to live?

"Tell me something, Lelouch…" Suzaku began. His voice sounded accusing. Lelouch glanced at him curiously. "Why didn't you simply kill Schneizel at the end of the Great War? You killed so many others, but not him. Why is that?"

Lelouch sighed. There was a reason. A legitimate reason. It was something that he'd thought about for a long time. "Because, he-"

But he wasn't allowed to finish, as Cornelia's voice interjected from beyond the closed door. "What do you mean I'm not authorized to enter? I demand to speak with Zero!" She sounded furious.

Suzaku and Lelouch shared a look, their eyes wary.

Outside, one of the guards spoke to the livid princess in a mechanical tone. "We were ordered to not let anyone into the control room, Your Highness."

Cornelia grumbled something before shouting at them again. "I'm the one who gave you that order! Now let me pass!"

Lelouch laughed a few times, like he was genuinely amused. Then he casually stepped down from the platform to retrieve his discarded helmet. "Things are taken so literally, aren't they?"

Suzaku stood dumbfounded before piecing everything together. "… You used Geass to get in here, didn't you?"

A smirk appeared on Lelouch's face as he placed the helmet back onto his skull. "And what of it?"

Suzaku reached for his own mask as he stifled a sigh. That was a typical answer…. and the fact that whatever Cornelia had to say to him, he knew that he wasn't going to like it.

But there was no avoiding it. Zero headed for the door with the now anonymous soldier following behind him, and the two of them stepped out to interrupt Cornelia as she was reprimanding the guards.

The princess pursed her lips at the sight of the masked man. "Zero, there are some things I believe we need to discuss-" she stopped short when she noticed the soldier accompanying him. "Who is this?"

"He's just a scout." Zero deferred. "He had some important information to report." Then he turned to the man in question. "Wait for me in the lower level conference room. We also have important things to discuss."

The soldier gave a stiff nod before retreating down the corridor in silence. Cornelia eyed him suspiciously as he took his leave, and when he rounded a corner she returned her malice to the man in front of her. "Come with me." she ordered, and started down the hall in the opposite way of the soldier. She didn't wait for Zero to agree at all, but he followed her anyway.

She lead him to another vacant room, so they could speak in private. For some reason, she was sure that the guards posted outside of the control room wouldn't let her inside even if she threatened them with a court martial.

As soon as Zero stepped inside the room she shut the doors and turned to face him with an heated stare. "What sort of theatrics are you pulling?" she snapped, "I don't very much like my authority to be undermined. But aside from that, what makes you think you can just go about acting like-" The words became caught in her throat, but Zero already knew what she was going to say: 'acting like Lelouch.'

Cornelia released a heavy breath, "The circumstances were different back then, you understand. Now we have to pay for the damages we've brought about for Japan. Collapsing half of their underground tracks? Do you have any idea how much that's going to cost us? This isn't like fighting on our own grounds anymore. Surely you know that much. Japan is a separate entity now. We can't destroy it in order to gain victory- only they can do that. We're visitors here, and we have to be diplomatic. Do you understand?"

Needless to say, Zero was feeling a bit agitated to be taking the blame for this, but he also knew that he couldn't try to explain himself yet. He wasn't sure it was the right time. All he could do was nod and say "Yes." Hopefully that would be the end of it for now.

"Good," she spat. Then she rolled her shoulders, as if she was carrying around some sort of tension, and a tiny grin formed on her lips. Her eyes flashed at Zero with the smallest hint of admiration. "But on a different note, that was quite unexpected. I didn't think you were capable of concocting such schemes."

"It was on the spur of the moment," Zero explained in a deadpan voice, "don't expect it to happen again."

Cornelia huffed at his answer and moved towards the door. "I can't say I'm not disappointed."

xx

Lelouch left Cornelia and Zero behind with a dark sort of smirk on his lips. He knew full well that Zero was about to be scolded.

Sure, the circumstances were different from when he wore the mask, but at least they won the battle. There were countless enemy pilots trapped under the rubble of that collapse, and while it wouldn't be enough to kill them, it gave them plenty of prisoners. That was their best way of getting information. The fact that Cornelia was miffed over diplomatic issues wasn't his problem. At least it wasn't his wrists being slapped.

His actions were completely justified, in his opinion, but he wasn't going to be the one to defend them. Not against Cornelia's tongue-lashing anyway. They weren't technically 'his' actions anymore.

He continued down the corridor in a nonchalant way. From what he remembered from his venture during the battle, finding his way to the control room and whatnot, the elevator was situated at the end of this next hall. As soon as he turned the corner, however, he saw the doors to the lift slide open and reveal someone. They seemed to be in a hurry, and dashed out of the elevator as soon as they could slip through the opening between the doors. His steps faltered when he realized the girl running towards him was Kallen.

She came right up to the stunned soldier without bothering to observe any details about him. "Where's Zero? I need to talk to him." Her words were rushed as she stood there fidgeting, waiting for an answer.

He opened his mouth to respond, but caught himself. She would recognize him, and he didn't want that to happen yet. Maybe later, when things were more stable- but not now. He turned his profile to her and pointed down the hall instead. He made the gesture without a word.

She shot him a look, but decided to shake it off and follow his directions. There were many more important things she needed to do than worry about some soldier that's decided to take a vow of silence. "Thanks," she breathed, before walking away at a rather fast pace.

The soldier only grinned and turned to step onto the elevator. "You're welcome, Kallen."

Kallen's legs ceased to work when those words reached her. She pulled in an involuntary gasp. That voice… That voice was unmistakable, wasn't it? She'd already heard it once that day… at least, she thought she did. Maybe…

She whipped around to get a better look at the man, but all she could see was the elevator doors shutting. The soldier was gone.

A shiver tore through her body. Really. Was she feeling okay? She seemed to be hearing his voice everywhere lately… It was bizarre. Not to mention unhealthy.

She didn't have time for this. She had to find Zero! Shaking her head, she tore off down the corridor again. Anything to get away from that crazy situation.

The same peculiar, anxious feeling she had this morning was beginning to creep back, but was there any basis for it?

xx

After the last, huge tremor had subsided, Jeremiah and Nunnally sat listening to the silence. They were safe inside the bunker of course, but it had been such a powerful and ongoing trembling... What could possibly be going on up there?

They waited through moments that seemed to drag on forever. But nothing was happening. The chaos appeared to be over. That final quake was like the punctuation of the battle, signaling it's end. When Jeremiah thought it necessary, he stood and went to the door. There was a group of soldiers and officials stationed outside. He made sure to meet all of their eyes. They were waiting patiently, listening to the outside as well.

Jeremiah asked them about the tremor, but no one could answer his questions. They hadn't received any more information either.

"What about Cornelia and the others?" Nunnally asked, her voice stern. She had moved herself into the doorway, catching Jeremiah by surprise. "Are they alright?"

"Your Majesty," Jeremiah sputtered. She truly wasn't worried about her own safety, was she? It was endearing, but it was also alarming. With Zero attending to other things, Jeremiah had taken it upon himself to make sure Her Majesty was safe. It was turning into quite a job, but he was not begrudged in the slightest.

Another official spoke up before Jeremiah was able. "Please," he begged, holding his hands in front of him, "we don't know if the conditions are safe yet. If we try to move Your Majesty now, there may still be danger."

Nunnally looked disappointed, "But how am I to know if everyone has made it alright?"

"I'll go," Jeremiah volunteered, "That is, if you feel comfortable enough here, Your Majesty. If not, you know I will not leave your side."

Nunnally sighed a bit, because she knew there was no helping it. "Yes, please, Jeremiah. Would you?"

He put on his gentleman's smile and bowed to the empress gallantly. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Nunnally allowed an officer to lead her back into the bunker, albeit unhappily. When Jeremiah was positive she was secure, he was shown to the exit. He insisted upon going to the roof, in order to gain a better vantage point of the battleground. The officer escorting him had no objections to it, but he did not follow Jeremiah onto the roof itself.

From the top of the Embassy, the Headquarters could easily been seen. It was still completely intact. The only Knightmares roaming around were Japanese, along with very few retreating ones far in the distance. Smoke was billowing up in several areas, but there was one area in particular, in between the two buildings, where it was more prominent.

Jeremiah examined it more carefully and realized that it was an entire intersection, along with a courtyard, that had been completely decimated. It looked like everything had just caved in. All except for a tiny spot off to the back, which was just above one of the larger support beams.

Within the crater was scores of enemy Knightmares. Some Japanese forces were excavating them from the rubble and immediately arresting them. It was a strange sight. Everything seemed… calm. The earthquake-like tremor they felt must have been the collapse. It had to be massive, and considering the view Jeremiah now had, it was.

He tried to imagine what it must've looked like. The ground falling beneath their feet. No one seeing it coming. No one thinking it was even possible. It was all very familiar. Like the landslide at Narita that took out a vast majority of Cornelia's troops. And the structures under the Tokyo Settlement crumbling like a house of cards during the Black Rebellion.

That's when a thought struck him, and he threw his head back in exuberant laughter. "It's no wonder! A technique like this is so catastrophic. It's as if someone was channeling His Majesty Lelouch!" He chuckled some more as he hurriedly made his way over to Headquarters. The violence was over for now, and from the looks of the battlefield, all of Nunnally's worries were for nothing.

But it seemed that things were about to get interesting again. For better or for worse.

xx

Zero hadn't taken three steps out of the conference room when Kallen laid eyes on him. She marched right up to him and he inwardly winced. He really didn't have time for this.

"Zero!" Kallen shouted, giving him a hard stare. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Not now, Kallen." he grumbled, and attempted to step around her- but she intervened.

"What's with the sudden change? And that collapse tactic?" The tone of her voice made it clear that she wasn't going to just let it go. "It's not like you..." Her eyes narrowed a bit as she added: "It's like Zero, but not you."

Again, he tried to maneuver around her, but she wouldn't allow it.

She put herself right in his face and glared at him. Unrestrained. "Not to mention your voice changing. I know that what I'm thinking is impossible, and because of that- I don't like it."

Zero huffed. This was getting old. Fast. With a swipe of his arm, he pushed her out of his way and moved past her. "It was just a fluke, Kallen. I don't know what you imagine it was- but that's all there is to it." An injured look began to spread across Kallen's face. "Now if you'll excuse me." He muttered, and continued down the hall with his clenched fists hidden within his cape.

Kallen's eyes followed him until he disappeared amongst the hallways. Was that all it was? A fluke? Her imagination? Regardless of whether the voice was in her mind or not- and as much as she hated to admit it, the combination of hearing Lelouch's voice and Zero orchestrating that cave-in planted a glint of hope in her chest. It was small and insignificant, but it was there. In the back of her mind, she wanted to believe that it was possible. That he could still be there to create miracles for them when they needed them most. When everything was on the brink of collapse and they had nowhere else to turn.

Her face twisted itself back into a scowl. There was no way she was going to let Zero brush her off like that. Whatever he thought it was, it was no trivial matter to her. She was going to talk to him- one way or another.

She noticed that he was headed towards the elevator, so she stormed after him with that determined look about her.

xx

When Zero arrived at the downstairs meeting chambers, he was surprised to find the door had been locked. "What the-?" He instinctively paged the inside. "It's me," was all he said, and the buzz of the door unlocking responded. He entered the threshold to find Lelouch sitting in the seat farthest from the door, staring at him from over the table. The door shut and locked itself behind him.

"You can never be too cautious," Lelouch mused, "In times like these."

Zero breathed another frustrated sigh as he removed his mask. "You say that, yet you pick and choose where you want to be cautious. What about that stunt earlier? How was that cautious?"

Lelouch smirked, "Those were not my actions, but yours, Zero."

Suzaku placed his hands on the tabletop, the opposite end where Lelouch was seated. "Taking action under a guise does not deflect the responsibility from you, Lelouch. You should know that by now, since you wore this mask for so long." He motioned towards the aforementioned mask that he'd placed onto the table.

"True, but you're forgetting one thing, Suzaku." The latter put on a puzzled look. Lelouch stood and brought a hand to his chest, where he knew a scar marred his skin. "I'm dead."

Suzaku scoffed. "At least you used to be."

"Precisely."

"Speaking of which," Suzaku gave him a critical glance, "you still haven't explained yourself."

A shrug lightly rolled from Lelouch's shoulders. "It's impossible to explain something even I don't understand, isn't it?"

Suzaku's eyes narrowed. That was no excuse. "Try me."

Lelouch sighed. There was no avoiding it. "It's been three days."

"Three days?" Suzaku echoed, but was ignored.

"It was like being shaken from a dream. I just- woke up. Does that answer your question?"

Suzaku bit the inside of his cheek. "Not exactly…" Lelouch put his hand to his face as if he had a headache. "So, you were just… dropped here? Three days ago?" Lelouch nodded. "And you have no memory of the previous year?"

"That's because I didn't exist during the previous year."

Suzaku paused, thoughtfully gazing at Lelouch for a moment. "Schneizel disappeared three days ago." He watched as Lelouch stopped in his tracks. His expression was blank, and he didn't turn to face him or anything. He just stared at the floor- or, more accurately, into space. It was another one of those times- when he seemed unresponsive because his thoughts were on overdrive. "Do you suppose it's a coincidence?"

Lelouch shook his head, and was about to say something, but was interrupted by the buzzing of the door.

Both he and Suzaku's faces snapped towards the entrance as Jeremiah's voice came through the speakers. "Zero, it's me. Her Majesty wishes for me to speak with you."

Suzaku glanced back to Lelouch, silently warning him. Then he spoke to the closed doors. "Is she with you?" Jeremiah replied that she wasn't. Suzaku gave Lelouch another look, to which Lelouch only nodded, silently saying it was alright. If anyone, Jeremiah was the one they could trust with such delicate information. His loyalty was boundless.

Suzaku went over to the door, knowing that Jeremiah was already standing inside the vestibule. "Jeremiah, if you enter this room now, know that what you see can never leave here. No one can know about this."

"With all due respect," Jeremiah chuckled. "I already know of your identity, Zero."

Suzaku sighed again, a weak smile playing on his lips. "I'm afraid this is something far heavier than that…"

xx

Kallen was hectically roaming the downstairs corridors searching for Zero. He had to be somewhere. She was positive that he'd taken the elevator down here… Now the only area she hadn't searched was Nunnally's personal wing. In hindsight, perhaps she should've checked there first. But her mind was in such a jumble. She wasn't thinking straight. That was the only excuse she could make for herself.

She bolted down the hall, through the main lobby, and made her way to the entrance to Nunnally's chambers. But when reached the door, before she could even ask for clearance, she skidded to a halt.

There was someone standing in front of her. Someone she thought she wouldn't see again for a long time. They had heard her clamoring behind them and slowly turned around with a sly little grin on their face. "Hello Kallen."

Kallen's surprise was buried beneath a grimace. "Hello C.C."

xx

**Author's Notes-** I don't really have much to say... But I would like to take these AN's to thank all of my reviewers thus far. You guys are awesome. Sure, I was always a bit proud of this fic, but all of you give it merit. Seriously guys, for lack of better terms, you rock hardcore.

**Hah, forgive me if I seem flighty,**

_**-Destiny**_


	13. Twelfth Pass

**Chapter Twelve**

"_In response to today's attacks on the visiting Britannians, Prime Minister Kaname has assured the citizens of Tokyo that both the Japanese and Britannian forces will work together and do everything possible to ensure the safety of the people. He went on to say that these attacks 'will not be taken lightly' and the offenders will be dealt with accordingly._

"_During the attacks this afternoon, there were no civilian casualties—as the initial blast came from an abandoned factory that was planned for renovation in the coming weeks. As for the Japanese and Britannian forces, there were two reported injuries, while the opposing forces were dealt several injuries, many of which came from the collapse of the underground tracks at the end of the battle. It is not yet clear who the attackers are. General Tohdoh and Princess Cornelia have declined speaking with us on the matter. Local forces are pressuring the public to steer clear of the Collapse Site for both safety reasons and traffic congestion._

"_The whereabouts of Empress Nunnally vi Britannia are also under speculation, though her subordinates have assured us that she is safe. Her current location is not yet being disclosed._

"_And that's all for your report from the Collapse Site! I'm Milly Ashford—have a safe night, everyone!"_

xx

As soon as Jeremiah entered the room, his legs seemed to fail him. "Your Majesty!" he breathed, completely exasperated. He dropped and kneeled in front of Lelouch with his eyes fixed upon the ground. He looked shocked beyond belief, but there was something in his face that said he'd been waiting a long time for this moment. Suzaku stood off to the side, watching the scene unfold with an almost disgusted expression on his face.

Lelouch gave him a flat look, but the faintest of grins had managed to form on his lips. "On your feet, Jeremiah." He stood tall in front of the kneeling man. His arms hung stiffly by his sides, and he stared down at Jeremiah with benevolent eyes. "Your grace is wasted."

"It would never be wasted on the likes of you." Jeremiah spoke to the floor. The most humbling feeling came over him, and he just couldn't bring himself to look up. Like he had to prove his admiration in such a way.

"This is a bizarre situation." Lelouch explained, stepping towards Jeremiah and kneeling down to his level. "I no longer hold any authority over you. I have no right to."

Jeremiah's eyes searched Lelouch's face for something, but he couldn't find it. "But that's-"

"I'm nothing but a ghost now." Lelouch interrupted him with a sarcastic little smirk. There was silence as he returned to his feet, and Jeremiah followed his lead with a perplexed look about him.

Suzaku noticed Jeremiah's confusion, and spoke up in a deadpan voice: "That's right. Lelouch has risen from the grave."

Lelouch scoffed at that, rolling his eyes. "What a clichéd way of putting things."

But Suzaku ignored his comment, "Though he has not returned to any of his original positions."

Jeremiah pondered this for a moment, and then a chuckle began to come from his chest. "I suppose it was you who ordered that collapse, then?"

Lelouch nodded. "It was."

"I knew I could never mistake Your Majesty's mark!" Jeremiah threw his head back and laughed some more. "That was clearly your doing!"

"That's what worries me." Suzaku muttered, under his breath.

"I still can't believe this!" Jeremiah's smile hadn't faded as he studied Lelouch. He was amazed that this person could be standing in front of him. Someone who's been dead for over a year now. "It's baffling! Exciting! His Majesty— alive and well!"

Lelouch hummed a laugh, another smirk forming on his face. "That's interesting, though I would discard the latter." Jeremiah's face fell a bit, confusion settling back over him. "I may be alive through some unclear circumstances, but we have no reason to believe that all is well. If anything, my being here should be interpreted as a very grim sign."

"Unclear circumstances?" Jeremiah echoed.

Suzaku spoke up as if he'd only been partially listening. "Not even he knows why he's returned, or how it's at all possible."

Lelouch shot Suzaku a look, but the latter was not paying enough attention to notice. "I believe it has something to do with the situation here. It seems rather convenient that I've returned just as Schneizel has vanished."

"What luck this is!" Jeremiah exclaimed, still smiling. "Such a dire situation, but it appears that you have been sent here specifically to assist us."

"Sent by whom, I wonder." Suzaku spoke again to himself, but Lelouch overheard it.

"There will probably never be a suitable answer for that question, Suzaku." He sighed, thinking of how difficult Suzaku was acting.

"Even so, I'm afraid their efforts have been in vain." This earned him a look from Lelouch. "I'm sorry, Lelouch, but I can't allow you to be too involved in this."

Lelouch could tell that that apology was false before Suzaku even had a chance to finish it. "And why is that?" Jeremiah's eyes darted from one to the other apprehensively.

Suzaku's eyes were stern. "You're a liability. If you're discovered to be alive, all of Britannia's credibility will be lost."

Lelouch huffed. "That may be true, but you're well aware that there are several means we can pursue that do not involve me putting myself in that position." Suzaku bit his lip at that. "What's your true reason?"

He simply tried to brush it off. "Regardless of that, I'm not willing to take that risk." Lelouch opened his mouth for a rebuttal, but Suzaku cut him off. "You're more than welcome to offer your insights, but I can't guarantee that they'll be strictly followed."

Lelouch paused for a moment, bewildered by his answer. "So you're placing the burden of decision onto me without bestowing me with the authority that goes with it?" Suzaku didn't make any sort of motion. Lelouch narrowed his stare. "Real strategy comes in a duel set: The ability to make a wise decision, and the power to carry out that decision. Take one away, and the other is meaningless."

"Are you refusing my offer?" Suzaku asked, ignoring him completely.

Lelouch clenched a fist by his side. "What I'm saying is I need to know whether or not I'll be acknowledged when you're too afraid to take the next step."

"It's not fear," Suzaku sputtered, "I simply look for a better path."

"There's no such thing as a mistake." Lelouch stated, "Zero never apologizes. Instead, you must utilize the repercussions of an unwise choice to your benefit."

Suzaku's voice went flat. "With an ideology like that you could kill and ask questions later."

Another sigh came from Lelouch's chest. "However, that also means you must refrain from making these reckless decisions." Suzaku remained unimpressed. "If the repercussions are too large they outweigh the benefits."

Suzaku let out an incredulous laugh, as if what Lelouch was suggesting was absolutely preposterous. "And you still expect me to hand you the reigns— when I know what you're capable of?"

Lelouch glared in frustration. "That's exactly _why _you should do it!"

"You said it yourself," Suzaku muttered, "This mask is my punishment." There was a pause. The two stared each other in the face, in absolute seriousness. "Punishment for killing you."

"And yet I am alive." Lelouch pressed. "You have nothing to be punished for at this moment."

"I have plenty to be punished for." Suzaku grumbled, gaining another curious look from Lelouch. "Will you not cooperate if I refuse to hand this mask over to you?" Lelouch said nothing, but sent him a hard stare. He saw where Suzaku was heading—and silently dared him to do it. "Very well then. You can leave." Suzaku motioned towards the door, and turned his back to the others. It was casual, as if he had other, better things to worry about.

But Lelouch knew he must be bluffing, and answered in a low voice. "What?"

"Your assistance is not required here. You can go now." Suzaku's tone was mechanical.

Jeremiah took a step towards the two, his hands raised to his chest. "Now just a minute-" he started, but neither of them were listening to him.

Lelouch shrugged as his voice took on a lighter note. "Then I'm afraid you leave me no choice."

Suzaku tried to stifle his scoff, to no avail. Those words seemed so final, yet so overused—and still, they sounded sinister. "And what choice is that?"

"I will denounce you, Suzaku!" Lelouch shouted with a swing of his arm. Suzaku swallowed thickly. Lelouch was giving him that look. That dreadfully serious look Suzaku could never forget. It mirrored the one he sported all those years ago, when he vowed to destroy Britannia, and then again on Kamine Island as he admitted to being Zero. Suzaku felt the bile rising in his throat. "I am reclaiming that mask. Whether it's the one you're wearing or one standing against you." Suzaku was taken aback for a moment, while Lelouch put on a dark smirk. "Do you suppose people will become suspicious once Britannia's Zero is accused of being a fraud? Do you find yourself fit enough to oppose me?"

Suzaku's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I? You already claim to know what I am capable of." Lelouch's nonchalant tone was wearing on Suzaku's nerves. He was too easygoing for the subject matter!

But then a thought struck him, and Suzaku realized that Lelouch was lying. He had to be. "You would never disrupt the trust Nunnally has built with the world."

Lelouch only shrugged a second time. "There are ways of maneuvering around that." Suzaku's jaw tensed, but he wasn't able to conjure any sort of response to.

"Sir Kururugi, Your Majesty please!" Jeremiah interjected. At last, he was able to break the two's concentration on each other. They turned to face him, albeit uncomfortably. "I believe we've lost sight of the true goal: Maintaining the peace in this world." He waited for one of them to say something, but they just kept staring him down. He faced Lelouch fully and brought an earnest hand to his chest. "If that means battling Schneizel with you again, I would do it without question! But this is not a matter of pride," Then he turned to Suzaku, "nor how this gets done. All that matters is that it _is _accomplished. For Her Majesty Nunnally's sake at least." Lelouch and Suzaku remained silent, honestly listening to Jeremiah's appeal. The soldier took a deep breath to gather his thoughts. He knew that if these two could not work together it could spell doom for them all. Or, at least, terrible trials in the future. "Think of the circumstances and then make a decision. Decipher the best way for this to work, I beg of you."

Silence settled over the three. Suzaku and Lelouch glanced at one another, trying to decide which of them should speak first. "I have a plan." Suzaku blurted. Lelouch only blinked. "Will you allow me to do things my way for once? We don't need to rouse any more suspicion. I'm sure you understand that."

Lelouch nodded, "I do." He thought it over for another moment before releasing a breath. "Very well then, Suzaku. I'll leave you to your devices, but only with the assurance that I'll be able to pick up the pieces in case your plans begin to go awry."

A bitter smile formed on Suzaku's lips. "I'd be suspicious if you didn't want such assurance."

Lelouch hummed a laugh of sorts and moved around the table to pick up the soldier's helmet he'd been using. He studied it for a second while Suzaku seemed to be shaking off some tension. Jeremiah watched the two apprehensively, but calmly. He was still slightly wary, but sighed contentedly nonetheless. They were moving forward at least—and that was enough for the moment.

As Lelouch placed the helmet back onto his head, he began moving towards the doors. This conversation was over, as far as he was concerned, and he had more important things to attend to. Suzaku stepped towards him as he reached for his own mask. "Wait," he called, "Where will you go?"

Lelouch glanced at him from over his shoulder. "I have my own resources. You shouldn't bother yourself with it." With that, he opened the doors to the vestibule and stepped inside. Suzaku scrambled to replace his mask and follow, with Jeremiah trailing behind.

"You can't be serious," Zero breathed.

Another smirk broke across Lelouch's lips. It was the only part of his face that was still visible, due to the helmet. "You're forgetting something, Suzaku." The latter eyed him suspiciously from inside his mask. "My shield."

It took a second for Zero to understand what he meant by that, and the name left his mouth as soon as the main doors opened. "C.C."

She was standing there, as if on cue. It seemed like she had been walking down the hall, but stopped once she heard the sound of opening doors. Kallen was with her as well, and looking rather unhappy about it.

When Lelouch laid eyes on C.C., his smirk reverted back into a frown. C.C.'s face lit up menacingly.

Jeremiah was the first to speak, and did so in a surprised tone. "Lady C.C. It's been a while. What brings you here?"

A sigh came from her chest. "It seems I've picked a rather inopportune time to visit Nunnally." She mused. Lelouch was the only one to pick up on her ulterior motive, but he could only clench his jaw because of Kallen's presence.

The red-head huffed and crossed her arms. "That's putting it mildly." Her eyes went over the nondescript soldier once, but she didn't say anything. She figured it would just be more of a headache to wonder about her last encounter with a foot-soldier. "Zero. I need to speak with you." She demanded.

Zero shook his head. "Not now, Kallen. I have to speak with Tohdoh and Cornelia about our response to the attacks."

"But—"

"You should go back to the Guren with Lloyd and Rakshata. I have a feeling we may need you." And then he walked away, still refusing to listen. Her glare was stuck on him as he left, burning into his back.

Lelouch was glaring at C.C. from beneath his visor. He wanted to ask her what she was thinking, showing up without any warning. She had said when they parted that he 'knew where to find her,' but he wasn't sure that was true. Not with her acting so sporadically all the time.

A sly grin sprouted onto C.C.'s face as she shrugged. "Oh well, I suppose there are other things I came here to do." Then she went up to the nameless soldier, "I could use some directions, would you mind escorting me?" He stared at her for a few seconds, thinking of how he should react. Eventually, he gave a stiff and simple nod, his jaw as tense as ever. She giggled as if she was actually amused. "A man of few words, I see." Kallen eyed the soldier suspiciously at that.

C.C. and the soldier turned away from Jeremiah and Kallen before any questions were asked. They made their way down the corridor in silence.

Once they were out of earshot, Lelouch sighed and muttered to C.C.: "Some days you cause me nothing but grief."

She hummed a few laughs, "Thus is the nature of the witch, Lelouch."

xx

Regardless of how rushed the conference room was organized, it was still done so elegantly. The large U-shaped table was placed in the center of the room, with Cornelia and Tohdoh sitting at equal points in the bend. Britannian and Japanese officials were at each of their sides, respectively. Sitting at Tohdoh's left were many skilled officers and combatants. Guilford remained off to the side of the room as a strict observer, and immediately to Cornelia's right was Zero, who sat silently as the meeting came underway.

Cornelia clenched her fists on the arms of her chair. "Where do we stand as of now?"

"As of now we've captured over two dozen enemy pilots from the collapse crater." Tohdoh explained. "We've questioned the majority of them already, but none of them seem to have any information. Some younger soldiers have commented that their call to arms was very sudden, but their older comrades aren't letting any such thing slip."

Cornelia sighed, bringing a hand to her face. "Of course, the young ones. They've yet to be hardened by war." Tohdoh nodded, as the princess pondered a moment. "Continue your interrogation. If there's any more information to gain from it, it will be simple to attain. They're loyalty is stilted."

One of Tohdoh's subordinates, who was the head of interrogation, spoke up, "It appears that they've been kept in the dark about their operations. They're just following orders from above, and are given no details regarding why."

"Typical," Cornelia spat. There was just nothing to go on. It was frustrating. "We're positive the enemy is the EU, correct?" Tohdoh and the others around the table nodded. "If that's the case, we need to discuss our plan to retaliate. We can't let this go unnoticed. If we let even one event like this slide, we're opening ourselves up to more attacks."

Zero suddenly stood from his seat, "Your Highness," he started, "if I may?" Cornelia eyed him a second, wondering what he was up to, but then she motioned for him to continue. "I have a plan." He spoke confidently, and matter-of-fact.

"Nothing as destructive as that collapse, I hope." Another official muttered. Cornelia gave the man a glare, silently telling him to stop talking. He sunk back into his chair without another word.

"Nothing like that," Zero's tone was void of any acknowledgement. "This plan involves the Empress." Every eye in the room came upon him in shock. Was he serious? Putting Her Majesty in danger for a plan? What sort of plan was this? "Indirectly." He continued, and a few people relaxed. "It will not put her in harm's way whatsoever. It does not even require her to leave her safe point."

There was a silence. No one wanted to say anything, lest they angered Her Highness. Cornelia seemed unmoved, but then she looked to Zero with a grin creeping onto her face. "Sounds interesting. Let's hear what you've got."

xx

"I would like to request lodging here." C.C. spoke matter-of-factly.

Sayoko gave her a skeptical look. C.C.'s tone was calm and serious, but then again it was always so. Sayoko could never tell when she was joking and when she wasn't.

"Here?" The maid echoed. "What makes you want to stay here?"

C.C shrugged. "I wish to visit Nunnally, of course. While I'm in the vicinity." Sayoko still remained unconvinced. "And Nunnally is not here at the moment, so I would like to wait for her."

"But that…" Sayoko bit her lip, then she remembered that C.C. had brought a companion with her. Some nameless soldier who hadn't removed his helmet. She studied him for some slight indication to his identity, but she couldn't find one. A sigh came from her chest. "That may prove difficult…"

"I have faith in you." C.C grinned.

Beneath the visor, Lelouch rolled his eyes. That was so typical of C.C. Putting all her demands on people, not caring about the consequences or whether it put them in a bind.

Sayoko gave the soldier another critical glance. "But who is this?"

"He's my escort." C.C. spoke up immediately, before her companion even had the chance.

Sayoko sighed. "I suppose I could find a place for you in this wing… But there may be obstacles."

"It should be fine."

Sayoko pressed her lips together. She knew that it was pointless to try and change C.C.'s mind. She was tenacious about staying here for some reason. But it didn't really matter. She could most likely work something out, since it was C.C. after all. Nunnally had taken a liking to C.C. in the past, and would be overjoyed to see her again- even under the circumstances.

No, especially under these circumstances. It would be a spark in the darkness for her. Something good surrounded by the sudden outbreak of violence.

The maid led them to another room in the wing that was not being used at the moment. It was sparsely furnished, with nothing but a small couch, table and chairs, and a desk inside. Sayoko told C.C. that there was no more need for an escort, but C.C. insisted that it would be alright. She wanted someone to talk to, to alleviate her boredom. Sayoko didn't argue. That tiny detail didn't matter to her either.

When she left the room to work out C.C.'s arrangements, C.C. sent the masked soldier a sly little smile. "Happy with my handiwork?"

"Handiwork?" Lelouch repeated with a scoff, "More like demands. You never leave room for argument."

"You know that's how I operate." C.C. spoke while trotting towards the sofa and sitting down.

Lelouch's eyes followed her across the room. "And how is this supposed to assist me?"

"If you only emerge as a soldier, no one should ask questions." Her voice was monotone as usual, and she rested her head on the back of the sofa to stare at the ceiling.

"It would be suspicious for the same soldier to constantly be seen going in and out of your room."

"I'll just tell them I'm having an affair with you." Lelouch made a noise between a laugh and a gasp. He glowered at her seriously, but the only part of his expression C.C. could see was his set jaw. She laughed under her breath. "Don't worry, I'm only joking."

Lelouch took a few steps over and leaned against the wall. "This is no time for jokes."

C.C. sighed. "You're as high-strung as ever I see."

"Why shouldn't I be?" Lelouch retorted. "I did wake up from death three days ago." C.C. glanced back at him as her expression grew soft. He brought a hand to his head. "Don't I have a right to be overly-suspicious of the world around me?"

C.C. returned her gaze to the ceiling. "I suppose so."

Lelouch released a bitter laugh. "You would know better than anyone else, wouldn't you?"

C.C.'s lips remained shut, but they were twitching with unspoken words. The things she didn't want to disclose… Not now. Perhaps she would find the correct time soon. But in all likelihood, she wouldn't.

xx

"_Is everything prepared?"_

"Yes, everything is running according to Zero's plan and Princess Cornelia's orders."

"_Good. So the system is ready for launch?"_

"We plan on launching within the hour, sir."

"_I hope the roof of this building can handle the trust from the flight units. It wasn't built to be a Launchpad."_

"We've reinforced it just in case, otherwise it should all go accordingly. The flight units on the transport have been set to the minimal setting."

"_Your path is cleared. We've marked the airspace for your passage. Sending the parameters to you now."_

"Received. We'll follow the path as indicated. Is everything cleared for launch?"

"_Clear on our end. With any luck, EU units will start to respond within minutes."_

"Hopefully. Beginning the launch sequence now. Her Majesty's transport online. We're set to be airborne."

"_Thank you. Alerting first responders."_

"Transporting Her Majesty to a safe point. Preparing to return to the Homeland."

"_First responders are ready. Contacting second squad."_

"Transport now launching."

"_All units ready. Scanning for Her Majesty's transport. Transport located. Airspace clear. Continue with objective."_

"Roger that. Commencing with the operation."

xx

**Author's Notes-** Sorry it's been so long, of course. But you know how it is… Anyway, I feel I need to answer some questions that have been asked a few times:

First, regarding the pairing of this fic: I've stayed away from coming right out and saying something about this because it's a very difficult question to answer. Truthfully, I don't think there IS a pairing to this fic. However, there are romance elements. I try to keep it as close to cannon as possible, and the actual series is very muddled concerning an OTP. That doesn't mean that romance won't play a part in this. Actually, it's very important. Kallen is in love with Lelouch, that's important to her character. The same goes for everyone else and their relationships to each other.

Concerning C.C. and Lelouch's relationship, I've always carried it as a sort of 'Sarcastic Flirtation' kind of thing. There will be moments between them that seem outright romantic, this is also true for him and Kallen, and others as well- but I don't plan these. They just seem to happen on their own.

The main reason I don't want to give this story a pairing is because it's just not prominent enough to do so. Not to mention that there's no way I could choose one. There will be 'little moments' peppered throughout the fic, but that's about it.

**Long winded, but hopefully it helps!**

_**-Destiny**_


	14. Thirteenth Pass

**Chapter Thirteen**

"Do you understand your instructions? … That's correct, you are not a military force. What I'm asking of you is not militaristic in nature. It's simply precautionary… No, this is not connected to the military whatsoever. This is a request from me personally. You will find Knightmares for your use in the building adjacent to the Embassy… I'm not asking for the reformation of the Black Knights, I'm asking for a fallback that cannot be caught in bureaucracy. You cannot be seen unless you are needed, understand? … Yes, I greatly appreciate it. Gather your squad and have them at their posts. Be ready for my call."

Lelouch ended the call with a smirk on his face. He tossed the phone to C.C., who just let it bounce onto the sofa she was sitting on. She also held a mischievous look as she gazed up at him. "You haven't even reclaimed the mask and already you're using the name Zero?"

He shrugged. "Whatever gets things done."

"And mobilizing a squad of ex-Black Knights is supposed to get things done?"

"Suzaku may have said that he would allow me to pick up the pieces, but he's a fool to think that I'd wait for it to get to that point. As soon his scheme falls apart, I plan on being the one to catch it." With that, he took the helmet from under his arm and replaced it on his skull.

"Suzaku's plan is underway as we speak." She stated. He shut the visor of the helmet and her eyes flashed at him. "And now you're going to retrieve your front-row seat."

Lelouch's smirk deepened. "Did you really expect me to sit back and watch?"

"Something like that would drive you mad." C.C. commented, as he turned around and left. But just as soon as the door shut behind him the smile fell from her face, buried beneath that same anxious look she'd been sporting for so long.

xx

Zero was awash in anxiousness. Once again, he was stationed within the confines of the control room, and yet he couldn't manage to stop fidgeting. He stood in front of the large screen, which was projecting a diagram of the troops' formations, and drummed his fingers on the console. At the center of the diagram was a gold dot, a different colour than all the others. It was surrounded by smaller, blue dots in particular patterns. Zero performed one last count in his mind—everything seemed in order.

The center dot was slowly creeping forward. Nunnally's transport was launched. It was only a matter of time.

His patience depleted, and Zero pressed a button on the console to open up communications. "Cornelia, is everything going smoothly?"

"So far, yes." The princess's voice came through the speakers at a calm tone. "Do you have a clear visual?"

"I do." He responded. "There's no sign of any enemy units so far, but I wouldn't suspect it to be much longer."

Then Tohdoh's voice came through the same speakers, barging his way into the conversation. "I do hope you know what you're doing, Zero."

"Have faith, Tohdoh." Zero told him. He'd tried to mimic the original Zero's tone just then. Final and determined, so Tohdoh wouldn't question. Although secretly, in the back of his mind, he was questioning his own decision with every passing second. He would silently berate himself for being so bold. Who was he kidding, after all? As he said before, he was no tactician. He wasn't practiced in things like this.

But then, he'd shake it off. Like he told Tohdoh, he just had to have faith. It was far too late to change his mind anyway.

All he could do now is hold his breath, and hope that he doesn't embarrass himself.

X

"Sir! We've got a visual on the Empress's personal transport!"

"It seems they're planning to return her to the homeland!"

"What are your orders, sir?"

Above the chaos of all the soldiers below him, a man stood on the edge of a platform within the flagship, his hands in a vice around the railing. He was tall and had broad shoulders. He wore an indigo coat with tails and large brass buttons and cufflinks. Several medals and ornaments adorned the front, telling his rank. The tall collar of his coat was shut with a golden, ornate frog clasp, and his white-gloved hands nervously pulled the fabric away from his neck. His pants were a traditional khaki, and his boots were tall and black, shined to perfection. His hair and beard were a deep, golden blonde, and his eyes were a dark, scheming green. He wore a communicator in his ear, with the microphone reaching halfway across his check. His jaw was tense as he stared at the screens.

"Why are they out in the open?" He muttered, "With so little forces….?"

"General Roukford!" one of the soldiers shouted from below, and the General's eyes darted hastily down. "We've identified the object as the Empress's transport. What are your orders?"

Roukford gritted his teeth. Their orders were to obtain the Empress— _alive_. And so, they couldn't just destroy the ship without knowing what was inside. He had just taken a breath to give the order when a little voice came through his communicator. His eyes became distant as he listened to it. He stopped all his movements, as if even the gears in his own mind had to be silenced to hear this voice. An ominous red veil fell over his eyes as he murmured into the microphone: "Understood."

The General threw his open hand towards the screen. His voice held no force, no authority at all, like the command was just so mundane. "Shoot it down."

The soldier at his feet was taken aback for a moment. All the others behind him were too frightened by their superior's sudden change in tone to say anything either. "But sir-"

"Are you disobeying orders, soldier?" He rebuked in the blink of an eye. "Shoot. It. Down!"

X

Jeremiah took a deep breath to prepare himself. Both mentally and physically. He was situated within the cockpit of a generic Knightmare Frame, and it had been such a long time since he was involved in any sort of combat. But if it was for Her Majesty Nunnally, he would traverse the world to find one blade of grass—so something like this was of no consequence to him.

His Knightmare was powered up, but was set on the lowest possible settings to conserve power. All the primary programs and functions were on standby. Once he attempted to use the machine, it would roar to life in a second, but for right now, it was quiet. It didn't even broadcast his location. The only thing using energy was the audial communications.

He listened to the silence of the transport gliding through the air. Everything was still.

He was waiting patiently for his cue. If everything went according to Zero's plan, he would be first to be called upon, in order to disorientate the oncoming forces. He would be sprung upon them. The greatest trap.

The transport had been airborne for about two minutes now, slowly making its way across Tokyo, towards the east, and the Britannian Homeland. Jeremiah had the passing thought that nothing would happen at all.

Then Cornelia's voice burst through his communicators at a fever pitch: _"Jeremiah get out of there now!"_

xx

Zero heard the door to the control room sliding open behind him. He smirked bitterly within the mask as it closed again. "You're the only one who would've known to find me here." When he turned to face the intruder he saw the anonymous soldier he was expecting. "I assume you got past the guards in the usual way?" His voice held a slight accusatory edge. The soldier put on a prideful grin and tore the helmet from his skull.

"I was a little more specific this time, but yes." Lelouch set the helmet off to the side and out of the way.

With the trust that Lelouch's Geass command over the guards would ward off any unwanted visitors, Zero too set his mask down. "I can do this without you watching over my shoulder." Suzaku grumbled, staring at the consoles beneath his hands. "Do you not trust my ability?"

Lelouch stepped onto the platform and joined Suzaku in front of the controls. His eyes went over Suzaku once. He looked him up and down with a flat and uninterested expression on his face. Then the tiniest shrug pulled on his shoulders, as if he could find no other answer. "No." he spoke matter-of-factly. Suzaku whipped around to face him. That easy and nonchalant tone was just insulting. How could he just say something like that so simply? Lelouch, however, didn't seem to care. He took note of Suzaku's clenched fists, his solid and squared position on the ground. "And judging from your stance, neither do you."

Suzaku quirked an eyebrow at him. Then Lelouch gestured with his eyes, and he understood. He loosened up his hands and shifted his weight, scoffing in an attempt to cover it up. "Isn't it natural to be nervous? No one has any way of knowing if they made the right decision."

"True," Lelouch commented, his violet eyes going over the screens and specs. "It's impossible to know—but uneasiness is not natural."

"What do you mean?" Suzaku muttered.

"There is a saying," he started. Then he turned away from the screens and leaned back against the console with his arms crossed. His eyes drifted to the ceiling. "A weak man has doubts before a decision, while a strong man has them afterwards."

Suzaku only scoffed a second time. "Sounds more like stubbornness." Lelouch shot him a sidelong glance. "You only doubt once it's too late to act."

"You have to be firm in your decisions." Lelouch countered, "If even you don't believe in it, how can you expect to convince anyone else?"

"Save me the lecture." Suzaku snapped at last. "What did you really come here for? To watch me fail?"

Lelouch gave a low chuckle. "Hardly. I came to make sure I was in the best position possible."

Suzaku was about to ask what he meant by that, but decided to ignore it instead. He probably wouldn't explain anyway. "You seem critical enough, but do you have any idea what my plan _is_? "

Lelouch shrugged. "I have no means of gaining that kind of information. However, out of sheer process of elimination, and knowing how you think, I can draw that it involves some sort of decoy." The glare that came from Suzaku at that instant was enough to prove Lelouch's suspicions. He had to stifle the laugh that attempted to spill out.

Suzaku took in a deep breath, "I hate it when you do that."

Lelouch only hummed another laugh. That's when several alerts suddenly sprung onto the screens—lights flashing and alarms blaring. Lelouch turned to face the mechanisms while Suzaku was already hastily mashing buttons. Another window appeared on the main screen. It was live feed of the transport— with a multitude of missiles heading straight for it. Suzaku immediately opened communications, only to hear Cornelia beating him to the punch.

Her frantic order to Jeremiah hung heavily in the air. The two in the control room watched the live feed as a Knightmare frame burst from the top of the transport in a ball of smoke and debris. Jeremiah was just in time to avert being blasted into oblivion along with the aforementioned transport. When the missiles made contact, the entire vessel was incinerated and gracefully fell to the earth as several smoldering balls of shrapnel.

As soon as Jeremiah leapt from the transport, he activated his Knightmare's flight units. The decoy was blown, and now he was at the head of a platoon of flying Knightmares, driving straight towards the opposing units that had fired upon them. An all-out battle was breaking out- and the Britannians' attempt at grasping the element of surprise had disintegrated completely.

Suzaku was gaping at the screen. He watched the transport go down. It exploded into the ground in a fireball. His fists clenched even tighter than before. "They called my bluff." He murmured.

"Zero!" Tohdoh's voice suddenly came through the communications. "The decoy has failed. I'm sending in my squad now to assist Lord Jeremiah!"

"Good," Suzaku sputtered, not entirely sure if that was the right move or not. He was still shaken over the fact that his plan was seen straight through. "Cornelia, you should do the same." He brought the princess weakly into the conversation.

"Already deployed, Zero." She responded.

"Send everything you have at them," Suzaku mused while looking over the screens. He noticed the scarce number of units that had attacked the decoy, and it helped a bit of his confidence return. "We can beat them with numbers!"

"Are you certain?" Lelouch finally spoke up from beside him. Suzaku wondered when he was going to say something, because he knew he wasn't going to like it. He narrowed his eyes, bracing himself.

"What is it?" he breathed.

"Those units just shot down the Empress's transport with no hesitation." He explained. "Only an official of certain rank would be able to make that decision."

Suzaku sighed in frustration. He really did not like the position he was put in. Taking advice from Lelouch, of all people. "Your point is?"

"Do you honestly think such a highly ranked officer would be on the front lines?" Lelouch huffed, "In such a low-grade Knightmare Frame, no less." Then he leaned closer to one of the screens and pointed to the edge of the radar. "In all likelihood, they are withholding more units, if not an entire flagship."

Suzaku gave Lelouch a disbelieving look, but he knew he had to make sure that was _not_ the case. At least to keep him quiet. He tapped a few commands into the console and expanded the range of the radar. Nothing. He opened it all the way to the Bay, and still nothing. But at such a long range, the depth of the radar was severely compromised. It was far less thorough. Lelouch knew that, and Suzaku knew that he did. Still, there was nothing to show for his theory, and that was enough.

"There's nothing." Suzaku stated, earning a look from Lelouch.

But Lelouch bit his tongue. He didn't say a word. Sooner or later, everything would unfold—or, more precisely, fall completely apart.

So all the troops swarmed down on the opposing Knightmares, whom there were very few of. Jeremiah's troop was at the front, while Cornelia's and Tohdoh's troops made up the flanks, and Guilford's troop brought up the rear. All the Knightmares were equipped with flight units, making it an entirely aerial battle.

The fighting had only gone on a few minutes when all of the enemy Knightmares abruptly dropped from the sky and plummeted towards the ground. But they didn't land. They just hovered there. Cornelia, Tohdoh, Jeremiah, and Guilford were all too stunned at how peculiar it was to react to it. The four squadrons just floated in the air in disarray. They stayed motionless for a moment. For far too long.

Something clicked in Lelouch's mind. "They need to move." The words flew from his mouth, but he felt like he couldn't say them fast enough. Suzaku questioned his outburst, to which he only replied: "Tell them to follow, now!" Suzaku seemed like he was going to disregard his warning, but Lelouch wouldn't have it. He muttered something about Suzaku being stubborn, and then he snatched the microphone from the console and shouted into it. "Change your altitude! _Now_!" Luckily, he was in unison with Cornelia, so no one would be able to untangle his voice from hers. All the units managed to scramble away from their positions, narrowly missing the sudden red blast from a faraway Hadron Cannon.

Off in the distance, a greater ship was gliding towards the battlefield with large Hadron Cannons mounted beneath its flight units. It was the flagship—and more Knightmares came with it. They were spilling from launching pads both on the top and bottom of the ship. The front held the emblem of the Euro Universe, shining in all its majesty.

Suzaku angrily stole the microphone back from Lelouch, who was sighing with relief. "What are you doing?"

Lelouch shot him a glare. "Your stubbornness is getting in the way, Suzaku." he muttered. His voice was tinged with malice. "You would rather disregard _me_ than listen to logic!" Of course, it was just because it _was_ him that Suzaku was being so difficult. Lelouch could figure that much easily.

"Cornelia warned everyone in time. Your assistance was not needed." Suzaku said evenly, feigning calmness.

"And what if Cornelia had spoken too late?" Lelouch asked.

"I was considering your suggestion-"

"Considering?" He echoed, interrupting. "There's no time for consideration, Suzaku. You have to be able to think on your feet." Suzaku said nothing. A short silence passed between them. Then Lelouch released a breath, and all his frustration seemed to drain away. "This is definitely not where you're at your strongest." He murmured, almost to himself. "In all seriousness, Suzaku, you have to admit that." Suzaku still didn't say anything, and refused to meet Lelouch's gaze. "You're a soldier. Therefore you thrive on a much smaller plane. All you've done here is flounder when faced with the big picture. Now," Lelouch held out his hand, as if he were forcing Suzaku to give him something. "The others are overwhelmed. Let us return to our respective places."

Suzaku's eyes went from Lelouch's outstretched hand, to his determined stare, and back again. He knew what Lelouch wanted, and he didn't like it. Not at all.

But he also knew that he was right, and that there was no other choice. He had been lucky this time, but what about the next? Did he honestly think that he'd listen to Lelouch under the same conditions? Wouldn't it be easier to just concede? To remove the burden from his shoulders?

With a heavy sigh, Suzaku reached over and grabbed the mask. The one Lelouch had passed to him just before the Zero Requiem. Back then, he could've never fathomed, not in a million years, that he'd eventually hand it back. It was such a final act, the claim of that mask. Now he was giving it back to his predecessor. A dead man.

"Your respective place is in the grave." Suzaku grumbled, shoving the mask into Lelouch's hands.

Lelouch only laughed. "I was expecting that." And with that, he reached into his pocket to produce his own portable communicator. He spoke into it with that strong, unwavering voice that every Black Knight could recognize. The voice of Zero. "All units: Initiate plan Lambda. Squads C and F, remain grounded and report to your corresponding checkpoints. Take out that ship's flight units. I want it done in three minutes."

Suzaku could only look on with an apprehensive stare as a single voice answered from the speaker: "It'll only take two."

xx

**Author's Notes-**Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? I was planning on putting a lot more in this chapter, but that would have made it twice as long, and would have taken quite a long time, so I decided to simply chop it in half.

Hmn, what a complete lack of Kallen in this chapter... That will be fixed next time! Along with many, many important events!

Reviews are greatly appreciated!

**Until then,**

**_-Destiny_**


	15. Fourteenth Pass

**Chapter Fourteen**

"Where are you going now?"

Lelouch stopped in his tracks and turned back around, giving Suzaku a look. It was obvious, wasn't it? "Respective places, Suzaku," was all he would say. Then he continued making his way towards the doors.

Suzaku brought a hand to his face. Whatever that was supposed to mean… and he knew for a fact that Lelouch would not elaborate any further. There was no telling what those words meant to him, specifically. Suzaku simply chose to ignore it and save himself some grief.

He watched Lelouch place Zero's mask onto his face. It looked bizarre and clashed terribly with his foot soldier's uniform, but even so, it was like it belonged there. It wasn't ill-fitting, like Suzaku had always thought. It was a mask that Lelouch had worn for so long… He probably could no longer remove it without removing his own skin. Or perhaps that was just Suzaku's perspective of him. Unable to separate the two.

Lelouch stepped from the room without another word to Suzaku. The doors slid shut and he noticed that C.C. was standing immediately outside the door. She leaned against the opposite wall with a large bundle slung over her arm. When she saw the anonymous foot soldier wearing the mask of Zero, she couldn't help but smile at the absurdity of the sight. "My, what is this?" she teased. "I didn't know alchemy was in fashion these days."

"Be silent, witch." He muttered, snatching the bundle from her

"Oh, and here." C.C. mumbled like it was an afterthought, and then she held her phone out to him. Her voice was dull and uninterested, but the smirk on her lips told an entirely different story.

Lelouch took the phone from her apprehensively. "And what is this for?"

"There was a call for you."

"For me?" he sputtered. Who would—not to mention how would someone be able to contact him in this way? He could swear that he felt his heart tumble out of rhythm. "Who?"

"It was the loud girl. From Ashford."

That helped him relax. "Surely you could've mentioned that detail first." He grumbled. Milly must've written down the number C.C. used to order all of that pizza, he thought. That's the only way she could've known to reach him here. As he pondered on the possibilities, an idea struck him, and he stalked away with a calculated grin hiding behind his mask. C.C. trailed behind him, hoping for some entertainment.

Back inside the Control Room, Suzaku was leaned over the console. His body was racked with something that felt like dread. How could he possibly hand that mask back to Lelouch? All the power that went with it, now in his hands. And Suzaku already claimed to know what Lelouch was capable of, yet he still did something so thoughtless?

Now Suzaku truly felt useless—because there was nothing for him to do. What _would_ he do, now that he'd been stripped of his role?

Everything he excelled at was sitting just out of his reach, and there was nothing he could do to change it.

xx

Kallen took a quick swig of water with a grumble. She tightened her grip on the bottle and settled into the seat within the open cockpit of the Guren. Once again, something was going on without her. A decisive battle was taking place just outside her hangar and she wasn't a part of it. The Guren had just been handed back to her, but she couldn't utilize it. She was tripped up in red tape.

That's one thing about the real Zero that made being a Black Knight easy. The entire existence of the Black Knights was based on the idea that one cannot fix a broken system from within. It has to be done from the outside—in order to bypass all of the red tape and useless bureaucracy. It was nothing but a tangled mess anyhow, and Kallen loathed it.

With nothing left to do, she figured she might as well listen to Zero and return to her Knightmare. Lloyd, Rakshata, and Cecile were happy to download all the battle specs. Kallen had, after all, gathered a bit of data for them during that last encounter.

The three scientists had brought all of the necessary equipment from their own laboratory, but were still upset that they had to borrow a Knightmare hangar from the Embassy. "It would be much simpler if we were in familiar territory." Kallen could hear Lloyd whining from her place in the cockpit. "What if we need some special instruments? We'll have to travel across the city to get them!" The pilot shook her head at him took another sip of water.

If only she could get Zero to understand. He wasn't the real Zero though. She kept reminding herself of that. So he would probably never understand what she needed from him. She just needed rid of all of these hindrances!

But he didn't have the power to fulfill that wish anyway.

Kallen crumpled the now empty bottle in her fist and tossed it in some random direction. She was beginning to doubt if she'd get to speak with Zero at all. Her previous confrontation had certainly gone down in flames. It was frustrating enough that she wasn't allowed on the battlefield, but even Zero was barring her from information!

Cecile shouted something about them being finished, but Kallen paid her no mind. It's not like she had anywhere to be.

That's when she felt her cellphone vibrating from her pocket. She snatched it out and glanced at the screen. She didn't recognize the number, but answered it anyway. "Hello?"

The voice on the other end of the call stilled her breath. She felt her head swimming as if in a trance. "Kallen. This is Zero. I need your help."

A smile overcame her face. It was both gentle and ecstatic at the same time. She listened to his instructions, clutching onto each word because she feared she'd never hear them again. When he was finished she put on a more serious face, and nodded with fervor. "Of course."

xx

The battle was still in full-swing. The Empress's transport had been completely demolished, and now there was an entire squadron of EU Knightmares standing against the Japanese and Britannian forces. Not to mention the flagship, which was equipped with several large Blaze Luminous shields, rendering it virtually untouchable to the current opposing Knightmares. Cornelia, Guilford, Jeremiah, Tohdoh, and the rest of the officers had their hands full indeed. It was difficult enough to grab a foothold of their own, let alone for the rest of their soldiers as well. Everything was in chaos. It was "fire at will."

A great number of the Japanese Knightmares had been left out of commission, either because the pilots were forced to eject or because the flight units had been too heavily damaged. Tohdoh was scrambling to gather all of his troops together into a coherent whole, but it was appearing fruitless. Cornelia was shouting orders into her communicators with Guilford trying to carry them out, but even that was slow-going. Everyone who would listen to the Princess was occupied with their own set of oncoming EU Knightmares. Cornelia cut down anyone who got in her way and continued spouting orders that were falling into busy hands. Jeremiah had his squad generally organized, but that was only due to the fact that the group was comparatively small. The group was the closest to the flagship and was acting as a filter. They were having multiple altercations with the enemy, and Jeremiah specifically was going out of his way to drag passing Knightmares into their scuffles. He hoped that the more enemies he stopped from reaching the main battleground, the more it would ease Cornelia and the others' burden.

However, they were being picked off one by one, if only because they were overwhelmed. At this rate, much to Cornelia's dismay, they would have to retreat.

Tohdoh was tense inside the cockpit of his own Knightmare Frame, constantly braced for impact. He was fighting multiple enemies at once, while the rest of his squad was engaged in just as many skirmishes. He didn't want to be the one to say the word "retreat," especially when saying it to Princess Cornelia, but even he knew that there was a time for fighting and a time for retreating. This was beginning to look like the latter.

Then a signal came through his communicators. Zero's face, or lack thereof, was staring back at him via a tiny screen in his cockpit amidst all this conflict. "Tohdoh," the masked man spoke sternly, like he always had. "How badly do you wish for a victory here?"

Tohdoh couldn't help but scoff. "What sort of question is that? A soldier always wishes for a victory, no matter how improbable, with all of his being."

Zero's head tilted down ever so slightly, as if an evil sort of grin was hiding behind his mask. "In that case, I have one more question for you."

"And what is that?"

"How badly are you attached to these Knightmare Frames?"

X

Suzaku had been sitting inside the control room for what felt like a lifetime. There was nothing he could do. Nothing for him to do. He just sat there, staring at the foot soldier's helmet that Lelouch had left abandoned in his wake. He studied the anonymity of it. How void it was of any presumption.

Just looking at the Zero mask was enough to make the bile rise in Suzaku's throat. He realized that he had his own baggage concerning that role, but when faced with the blank slate that was now in his hands he noticed how deep those irksome lines ran. That mask was the spikes that he drove into himself. It was his penance; his punishment.

And so his punishment has been alleviated, at least for now.

But now what? If anything, he would try to fill the empty shell of the foot soldier's helmet. An anonymous entity. Hopefully he would find a new role and meld into it, but he knew already that he wasn't going to like it—considering it would be a role of Lelouch's design.

When it came right down to it, Suzaku simply didn't know how to function without berating himself in some way. He couldn't live without lines, and without the punishments that come with crossing them. He couldn't live the way Lelouch does. Without any grasp of consequences. Without conscience. Suzaku didn't understand how Lelouch could do whatever he wished without worrying about the repercussions.

But maybe that's what Lelouch meant by "respective places." He accused Suzaku of "floundering when faced with the big picture," so maybe that was why Lelouch could function. He was always considering the big picture. His scope of the world was much greater than Suzaku's… but what kind of excuse was that?

"Ends gained through detestable means aren't worth it." Suzaku muttered to himself like a mantra. His hands tightened around the foot soldier's helmet and he broke away from his thoughts. It was nothing but a headache to think of those things right now.

He glanced back up at the screens that depicted the battle. It wasn't looking good. It appeared that the battle would be lost within a few more minutes.

Suzaku furrowed his brows. He was frustrated that his plan didn't work, and thought that maybe he wasn't cut out for this sort of role after all—and then that idea only irritated him more, because he was admitting inferiority to Lelouch. He didn't like feeling useless like this, because he'd always thought that if he didn't act, who else will?

But then something began happening on the screens. All of the Britannian and Japanese forces seemed to move at once, in one fluid motion. A majority of the Knightmares vacated the scene, and only a few of the enemy Knightmares followed in pursuit. It looked like the Japanese forces were withdrawing, because the group that was left was made up of mostly Britannian units. It was still quite a large group, and they were containing the EU forces in a tight mass. They were becoming overwhelmed and the EU Knightmares were breaking the formation and going after the retreating units, but they were quickly cut down by a sudden red flash zipping across the battlefront.

All the EU units that broke formation were immediately struck down by a Knightmare that was moving so quickly it was nothing but a blur in the sky. Suzaku realized it must be the Guren. He knew Kallen's fighting style well enough by now that he was certain he recognized it. After all, who else could it be? Besides the Lancelot Albion, the only other Knightmare capable of such speed and accuracy was the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N., and Suzaku knew that no one was piloting the Lancelot at this moment.

The Guren went straight to the head of the crowd of Knightmares and began decimating a good number of EU forces, and then it flew away in another flash of red. The remaining mass of fighting units drifted across the battlefield as a whole, and came to a halt just in front of the flagship—right in the range of the behemoth's hadron cannons.

Suzaku felt a bout of panic come over him. That's exactly where they _shouldn't_ be, wasn't it? After all, that's where everyone was when Lelouch lost his rationale and shouted orders to everyone. Was everyone too busy fighting to realize where they were? Suzaku couldn't tell if the smooth shift in location by the group was led by the Britannians or Europeans. He clenched his fists by his sides and watched the flagship charge the hadron cannons. He studied the signature red glow, trying to figure out exactly when they would fire with a growing sense of dread.

And exactly when Suzaku thought the cannons would fire—right when the EU forces should've dropped from the sky—the Britannian units turned and went underneath those of the EU. Each pilot turned on their flight units, accelerating into the sky so the EU Knightmares were unable to drop, and then the pilots ejected, leaving their Knightmares to be decimated.

Suzaku blinked, and a fraction of the Japanese forces returned and landed on top of the EU units. They did the same with their flight units as the previous group, except in the opposite direction, towards the ground, then they too ejected.

Before the EU forces could even figure out how to retaliate to what was going on, the hadron cannon fired. The huge red beam swept across the battlefield, taking every Knightmare with it without prejudice.

Suzaku's mouth hung open for a moment. The Britannian and Japanese forces just gave up all those Knightmare Frames… but the flagship was still there.

That signature red blur closed the distance between the battlefield and the flagship in no time at all. Suzaku watched the Guren narrowly pass through the opening in the flagship's Blaze Luminous made by the hadron cannon. He felt like smacking himself. Of course! It was the same idea that helped them get aboard the Damocles during the Great War. The only way to get past the ship's shields is to wait for them to lower in order to attack.

It only took the Guren two seconds to destroy the flagship's primary flight units. It was met with little resistance. And so, the flagship began to fall from the sky. It mimicked the look of Nunnally's transport just a few moments ago, except on a much grander scale.

Knightmares started to emerge from within the falling flagship in order to retreat over the Bay. A couple of small transports, like that of Empress Nunnally's, could be seen fleeing the scene as well. The entire crew and main officers were evacuating, and it would be difficult to capture anyone worthwhile.

Was this Lelouch's strategy? Suzaku couldn't imagine it being anyone else. Lelouch did whatever had to be done in order to reach whatever outcome he was aiming for. He paid no mind to whatever happened in between, and that's what frightened Suzaku the most.

That's when a thought struck him. That flagship was massive, so where was it going to fall? What would happen when it crashed to Earth? It still had some secondary flight units, but they weren't enough to support the ship's weight, so it was falling slowly—in fact, rather gracefully. Still, what would they do if it happened to crash somewhere where it would cause even more casualties? Suzaku found himself clenching his jaw until it ached.

The falling ship crept closer and closer to the ground, and then, to Suzaku's amazement, it started drifting sideways.

Upon closer inspection, Suzaku could see the thin lines of several slash harkens reaching up to the flagship. There were Knightmare frames hidden on the streets and within nearby construction sites that fired their slash harkens into the ship, and they were now leading the ship as it fell towards the city, narrowly scraping above some of the rooftops. They were a separate group. Suzaku didn't recognize them from the battle at all. It was as if they just appeared out of nowhere.

They brought the ship to the largest construction site in that part of the city—a large corporate building that was still being rebuilt after the Great War. Right now though, it was nothing but a mangled mess of steel beams and scaffolding. Since this entire side of the city has been long evacuated due to the battle, there would be no one anywhere near that particular site.

Suzaku didn't know what to think as he watched the ship harmlessly ram into the bare pillars of the unfinished building. Did Lelouch orchestrate that in order to appease him? He could've allowed the ship the crash to the ground where it was, and take some pilots, or hapless journalists, or even just an apartment complex with it… but he didn't. He purposefully ordered those Knightmares to lead the crashing ship somewhere where it would cause the least damage.

When Suzaku thought about it, he doubted it was Lelouch's idea. Someone like Tohdoh or Cornelia must've told him to take it easy. After all, Cornelia did just lecture Suzaku about destroying the city in order to achieve a goal—and it wasn't even Suzaku who had collapsed all of those underground tracks. Still, he smirked at the thought of Lelouch with limitations.

But truthfully, Suzaku didn't care how it came about. He didn't even care who made the final call. He was fine as long as his concerns were dealt with. After all, it was all he could ask for.

X

Within the Guren, Kallen almost couldn't believe it. Once again, everything had worked without complaint. There were no true problems. The flagship was grounded and the battle was won. She should've been elated.

Except she wasn't. She was frustrated. It was Zero. His attitude was still bothering her. He wasn't the real Zero… and yet here he was acting like him. Even sounding like him… Her nerves were frayed. Things weren't right. Her thoughts were completely fanciful and she knew it. There was no way he could be…

Why did he have to do everything this way? Why did Zero have to make her question her own sanity like this?

She swore the next time she saw him, she'd get her confrontation. She needed it, or else she was afraid that she might have some sort of breakdown.

Then, as if on cue, Zero appeared on the screen inside Kallen's Guren—as well as all the other troops'. It was a mass transmission, and was sent out to everyone from Suzaku to Cornelia. In the area where all the pilots who ejected were ordered to gather, there were a couple of Knightmares which opened the audio within their cockpits, thereby acting as speakers for Zero's message. Kallen, as well as many others leaned towards their screens in anticipation of what Zero had to say.

But nothing happened. He didn't say a word. He was silent. There wasn't even a twitch of his head or a shift of light upon his mask. He was completely still. A statue.

And then the transmission ended.

X

"What's the point of sending out a huge transmission like that if you're not going to do anything?" Milly asked as she turned off the camera she had "borrowed" from her station. She began to disassemble the machine and place the parts in their corresponding cases. "It seems kind of pointless to me."

Zero took a few steps towards the reporter and removed his mask, studying it. "I didn't need words for what I had to say."

Milly put on a strange little smile. "How very much like you," she mumbled, mostly to herself.

It was strange to see Lelouch this way. She stole a glance at him, which he wasn't paying a bit of attention to. She saw the ensemble of Zero, the masked terrorist who had forced the Britannian Empire to its knees—twice. But she also saw the face of her friend, and the tumult of rage and sorrow that she knew existed within him. It was foreign and strange looking, and yet it all made perfect sense. Things were supposed to be this way.

When she thought about it, Lelouch being Zero should have been glaringly obvious. But then again, she wasn't looking for him to be, and therefore she was unable to see it.

She watched him as he looked at the mask in his hands, and wondered what he was thinking about. It was a good thing Nina had let Zero's true identity slip, because if Milly hadn't known it she would never be able to help him. To help Lelouch. When he took on the mask of Zero, he must've abandoned everything. He couldn't ask any of his friends for help—not that he would have in the first place. Milly wanted more than anything to be a part of this. She had no regrets at all.

Lelouch's thoughts finally seemed to drift, and he noticed Milly staring him down. "What is it?"

Milly shook her head, a beautiful smile gracing her face. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Is that so?" A slight smirk pulled on his lips, because he figured it was a lie. "I admit… I didn't expect to receive a call from you. Especially within these circumstances."

"Well, once I knew the truth, did you honestly think I'd sit around and do nothing?"

He laughed once. "Not at all."

"Of course not," she remarked. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it… but I've accepted it. You were—you are—Zero, Lelouch." He gave her a sidelong glance. "You've done terrible things… and you've done wonderful things. I won't scold you, because I'm not that pompous… but also because I know that you would've never done it for any lesser reason. I know you. It was Nunnally, wasn't it? Your motivation?" Lelouch didn't respond. He simply returned his gaze to the mask with his smirk ever deepening. She let out a content little sigh. "I knew it. I'm sure you've fooled yourself into thinking you had other ulterior motives, but there's only one that matters to me."

There was a short silence between them. "Thank you, Milly." He replied at last. With that, he placed the mask back onto his face and began making his way towards the door.

"If you ever need anything: You know where to find me!" Milly chimed.

Zero only turned his head to her and nodded before leaving the room.

xx

Inside the Britannian Embassy, Kallen had just finished swapping some statistics she didn't care much about with some nameless officer she didn't recognize. She was tired, and wasn't in the mood to deal with anything useless. It had been a rough day. Then she saw the figure of a person walking through the room with her peripheral vision. They glided across the floor to enter an adjacent room. It was a profile she registered immediately. Zero.

She felt that rage bubble inside her. In addition to not tolerating uselessness, she was also not in the mood to deal with mischief. Even if it wasn't really mischief, she still felt as if someone was playing a trick on her. A very cruel trick.

It was enough to fuel a confrontation. Something was just… amiss. She stormed into the room she'd just watched him enter and gathered her courage. "Hey." Her voice was stern. Punctuated. She didn't make any sort of effort to hide her irritability.

The masked figure turned on his heel to face her. It was a silent gesture to show that he knew she was there, and he was acknowledging her.

She couldn't think of the right thing to say. There were so many words floating about her brain, but she just couldn't find the right ones. She kept her glare steady and her fists clenched, hoping that the heat was radiating off of her. She wanted him to know exactly how annoyed she was.

But he still didn't say anything. He was stoic. The only further recognition he gave her was tilting his head forward ever so slightly. Urging her to go on. Anticipating.

Finally, she decided on her words. "Just what do you think you're doing? Is this some kind of sick joke?" The quivering in her voice betrayed the anger in her face. He said nothing. "Because whatever it is, it's not funny!" A single tear spilt over her cheek. It was one she just couldn't stifle.

He turned away from her and began to slide the cape off of his shoulders. "A joke, huh?" His voice remained low, but it made Kallen's face fall. Her eyes were open wide. He threw the cape over the back of a couch that was situated in the room. "You know," he was pulling the mask off as he spoke, and when it was completely removed he looked to her again- revealing his face. "I've never been one for jokes."

A tremor went through her entire body, like she was about to collapse. He watched her fight it off, and smirked at her stubbornness. "Oh my god," she breathed. She could feel that she was about to lose it. It was all she could do to not break his gaze. "Oh my god." This time her voice cracked. More tears were falling down her face. She took a few shaking steps towards him, like if she came too quickly he would disappear. He simply stared at her, watching her reaction. Then she grabbed hold of him and cried into his chest.

She didn't sob, she was too hardened for that, but the tears poured freely from her eyes. Her arms went around him and she stood there, virtually silent. His violet eyes blinked at her, like he was at a loss. Milly's words of wisdom dashed across his mind, but for some reason, it didn't seem to fit Kallen. He felt that if he did listen to Milly on this occasion, it would only upset Kallen even more. She didn't show weakness often, and when she did, she certainly didn't like for it to be pointed out.

He was about to react, though he wasn't sure how, when she suddenly released him and shoved him backwards. His legs hit the seat of the couch and gravity forced him to sit on it. He had barely strangled out his surprise as her hand clamped down over his mouth. He noticed the alarm expression she was wearing. But it didn't particularly matter because after that, she crawled onto him and straddled him, pinning him to the couch. He wanted to struggle and grabbed at her arms, but she kept him subdued and brought their faces closer together. Her hand was the only thing separating their lips.

Then another voice came from behind her. Lelouch couldn't see who it was because Kallen was blocking the door from his view. Finally, he understood why she had attacked him like that. "Hey Zero, I-" The voice cut off in shock.

Kallen leaned away just a bit and stared past him, at the wall. The look on her face was very awkward. "Do you mind?" she spoke to the intruder in an annoyed voice.

"Oh, I- I'm sorry!" they blurted and scrambled out of the room. Both Lelouch and Kallen visibly relaxed, and she removed her hand from his lips.

"Thank you, Kallen," he admitted, "Although your methods are quite-"

"No." she interrupted him. He gave her a puzzled look, and then she really did bring their lips together.

But Lelouch couldn't help but think that all of this was getting a bit old. Kallen was the third girl to react this way upon seeing him, and hopefully that's where it would end. Though Kallen did have a strange difference about her. Milly, as unbelievable as it sounds, was wavering and unsure; C.C. was coy; while Kallen was passionate.

In fact, when he thought about it, everything about Kallen was passionate. When she fought against Britannia, when she fought for him, when she fought _against _him. Everything she did was fueled by her passion- and that's what made her indispensable.

When she pulled away from him she immediately started shaking her head. "No, I should be the one thanking you." Her eyes were still glistening. Not quite crying, but almost there.

"For what?"

"For everything you did." She smiled a nervous little smile, but it was short-lived and she let it drop. "But I saw your body in a coffin… So, was that assassination faked, or-"

"No," this time he interrupted her, "It was real."

"Then how-?"

He sighed, cutting her off a second time. "As I said before, I don't know how, nor why I am alive." She blinked at him, lost in her thoughts. He waited a few moments before speaking again. "Now if you don't mind…?" At first, she looked confused, but then she noticed him gesturing towards their positions. She was still pinning him to the couch.

He watched as her face heated up to an interesting shade of red. "Oh!" She uttered some other unintelligible things as she scurried away from him. He stood up and calmly dusted himself off, fixing his clothes. Another thick silence passed. "R- Regardless…" Kallen sputtered, gaining his attention. Her face was still red, but another tiny smile graced her face. She was fiddling with one of her sleeves nervously. Her other arm was stiffly hanging by her side. "It's good to have you back." Then she flurried out of the room, making sure to lock the door on her way out- because neither of them had been focused enough to think of it earlier.

xx

**Author's Notes-** Firstly, I would like to apologize for my long, long absence, but you know how life can be. I would like to say that no matter how long it may take for me to update, I do NOT have nor have I EVER had any inclination to discontinue this fic. The only way that this story will be abandoned is if something exceptionally horrible happens. That, you can be sure of.

I would also like to point out that my premise for this fic (Lelouch spontaneously reappearing after his death) WILL be explained. It happened for a reason. I didn't just come up with something unexplainable. I've dropped a few hints here and there, but it will be completely revealed eventually!

**Thanks for waiting!  
**

**_-Destiny_**


	16. Fifteenth Pass

**Chapter Fifteen**

The girl examined the parts of the rifle laid out on the floor in front of her. She took each individual piece of the disassembled gun and methodically polished it. The rag in her hands was already black with polishing agent, and she worked until the miniscule light of the bare bulb above her was reflected off the surface of the barrel. A chill swept through her and she inched a bit closer to the small space heater that was rumbling next to her. However, this bout of cold air did not disturb her work.

It was just after sunset and although it was only October, the Russian winter had already settled onto the city. She tightened the knot that withheld her hair and took a deep breath, exhaling a cloud of steam. Her gray eyes blinked at the steam, but she didn't react to it at all. In fact, her face was entirely void of anything. Since her burgundy hair was set so messily atop her head, she seemed more like a mishandled doll than a person at this particular moment.

But then there was a noise of some sort, and the girl was immediately at attention. Her eyes darted to the door and narrowed dangerously. Without a sound, she slipped her hand into the pocket of her trench coat and produced a small switchblade. She got to her feet moved to the corner of the room. Using the leverage from the doorframe and the adjacent wall, she grabbed onto the grimy crown molding and hoisted herself up into the rafters. She used her arms and legs to keep herself aloft. When she was positive that she was stable within her hiding place, hanging just above the entrance, she flicked open the blade.

Minutes passed. She had no idea how long she would be left hanging there, lying in wait. A bead of sweat trickled down her face and fell to the dusty hardwood below. Her limbs were trembling from supporting her weight for so long, but she only gritted her teeth. She had grown accustomed to this sort of thing, after all.

At last, the door beneath her opened and a man entered the room. She couldn't help but think he was acting rather casually for a supposed assassin, or rather, a passing threat. From her vantage point, she could only see the top of his blonde head and the large epaulettes that were covering his shoulders. His coat was long and she presumed fashionable. As soon as he took a few steps inside, to study the gun she had left strewn across the floor no doubt, the girl let herself drop from the rafters. She landed behind him and wrapped her arm around his neck. He was considerably taller than she was, but that didn't stop her from pressing the flat of her knife into his face.

"I wouldn't move if I were you, Britannian." She spat. Her voice was low and severe, and her face was twisted with malice. "What do you want?"

The man she was threatening gave a hearty chuckle, making her pause. "Ah, yes. You must be Tanya. Tanya Runov, if I'm not mistaken."

The girl only blinked. "I asked you a question."

"The sharpest eyes in the war between the EU and Britannia… and only 16 at the time. That's quite a feat." He hummed. "That would make you 17 now, correct? Or perhaps 18?"Tanya clenched her jaw. Why did he know all of these things? "You people took my home from me, so I have no problem in taking your life from you, understand?"

The man only chuckled at her again. "Yes, yes. How quaint. Now listen: I have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?" She echoed, staring incredulously at the back of the man's head. He wasn't bothered by her at all, and now he was making her an _offer_? "You're in no position for that."

"Indeed," he continued, ignoring her rebuttal. "You know of the masked man Zero, correct?"

Tanya measured her words. "I'm aware of him."

"I wish to hire you to kill him."

Tanya pushed the knife further into the man's cheek. "Zero fought _against_ Britannia. Why would I want to kill him?" Then she made a face. "And for _you_, of all people? Hah!"

"Oh, believe me." The man countered, turning his head to look at her from over his shoulder. Her knife cut into the skin of his cheek, but that didn't matter to him because he had managed to make eye contact with the girl. Tanya gasped at the red glow in his right eye and the strange bird-like sigil that accompanied it. "As soon as I finish telling you about this man you will be begging me to allow you to kill him."

xx

Cornelia clicked her tongue as she made her way about Headquarters. There was simply too much to do, and they hadn't brought enough personnel with them from the Homeland to cope with it all. Thankfully, she wasn't easily overwhelmed, or else they'd have a true mess on their hands.

Then the Princess saw another person retreating down the hall. It was the familiar form of a general she needed to speak with. "General Tohdoh." Cornelia called down the corridor. The man she was addressing turned to acknowledge her as she caught up to him. "I must apologize to you for Zero's tactics." She forced. Cornelia wasn't well-known for her poignant "people-skills," but she definitely knew her way about foreign policy, and when it was important to be diplomatic. This was one of those times. "It's because of him that a vast number of your Knightmares were destroyed. Please allow us to compensate you within our power."

The General curtly shook his head. He was always so straightforward. "There's no need, Cornelia. I'm the one who heard his plan, and I'm the one that agreed to it. Therefore, it's my burden to bear."

Cornelia looked puzzled for a moment. "Yes, but Zero is, unfortunately, an officer under our Empress, and he had no right to push this-"

"As I said: I'm the one that consented to it." He interrupted. "We have the resources to rebuild. The decision was mine and I made it in the best interest of obtaining victory." The Princess's lips were taut. "We suffered no casualties in that battle, and for that I should be thanking you and Zero for your continuing support."

That gave Cornelia pause. She still felt responsible for the loss of all those Knightmares, and the massive collapse from just this morning, but if Tohdoh didn't want to pass the blame and financial burden onto Britannia, then so be it. She released a sigh of defeat and nodded to him. "As you wish, General."

With that, Tohdoh bowed to her and continued on his way. Cornelia let him go without further argument. She was sure he had many other things on his mind at the moment. There was so much work to be done now, on both sides of the spectrum. Tohdoh would probably be up through the night. After all, so would she.

As soon as Tohdoh left, Cornelia heard footsteps approaching her. The voice of her Knight was not too far behind: "Your Highness." Guilford greeted her in the usual way, and when she turned to face him she saw him bowing respectfully to her."What is it, Guilford?"

The Knight set his jaw firm. He didn't like delivering bad news, though it was part of his position as a Knight. "Our surveillance teams have managed to track the retreating EU units heading south, however we lost them once they reached the island regions." He waited for her to sneer, for a small groan of frustration, but it never happened.

In fact, the news didn't seem to strike Cornelia as particularly bad, and she paused for a moment of evaluation. "Very well. Use satellite imagery to scan the islands. I'll not have them getting away under the cover of darkness."

"Yes, Your Highness." He bowed. "Also, Jeremiah wished for me to relay a message to you."This caught the Princess's attention. "And what message is that?""Zero has requested an audience with Her Majesty. Jeremiah suggested that I consult with you before we attempt to remove the Empress from her current safe position."

Now Cornelia did not look pleased. This was definitely suspicious. Her eyes narrowed as she thought on it, and she came to a decision at last. "Tell Jeremiah not to worry about that. We will venture to the Embassy and give Zero his audience without removing Empress Nunnally." Guilford nodded and was about to leave to deliver her message, but Cornelia spoke up again. "However, inform Jeremiah that both he and I will accompany Zero there as well. I've been feeling uneasy about him lately." She muttered.

Guilford bowed a third and final time. That sort of response was typical of his Princess. "Yes, Your Highness." She gave him a short nod and continued on her way down the corridor, with Guilford heading opposite.

X

Cornelia accompanied Jeremiah and Zero during their audience with the Empress, as she said she would. The three of them ventured from Headquarters to the Embassy so Nunnally wouldn't have to be put in danger. After all, the threat of the EU was still lingering in the air, even after their defeat that afternoon.

The sun was settling onto the horizon beyond the skyscrapers. One of the longest days since the Global Revolution was finally over, but the world was still hurdling on.

They entered the conference room where Nunnally was already awaiting them. It was only after the EU's flagship had been secured that she was allowed out of the underground shelter, and so she was now able to move around the Embassy as she pleased. She was glad for that, but she was anything but calm. The situation was still grim.

But despite all of that, Jeremiah, Zero, and Cornelia entered the room and she welcomed them with a smile. The door shut behind the visitors to give them total privacy.

As soon as Zero laid eyes on Nunnally, he felt a pang in his chest. He had to hide his clenched fists under the cover of his cape.

Nunnally. His precious little sister. The Empress. She looked so stern—so strong, even within the confines of her wheelchair.

She was the strongest person he knew. That would seem odd to anyone else, but she truly was strong. The fact that she was such a proper sovereign was only more proof of it. She had handled her affairs quite well, and her brother couldn't help but be proud of her.

But mostly, she was strong because after everything she had been through, after all that she'd witnessed, she was still able to smile. She was still so gentle. That was something Lelouch could never do. He'd acknowledged that fact long ago. He let the world harden him, change him, and twist him—mostly for the worse—but Nunnally remained pure. He didn't need another reason to love her—she was his sister, but still, he admired her for that simple fact.

It hurt him that she was so close to him now, but he was unable to reach out to her. She was still ignorant to him being alive, so it wasn't as painful as the incident onboard the Damocles, but it was painful nonetheless. He just had to keep reminding himself that it would be revealed to her soon. It was as simple as setting up the opportunity, whenever that may be. For now though, all he had to do was remain silent and bear it.

"Your Majesty." Jeremiah began, as he and the other two bowed respectfully to the Empress.

But she quickly waved her hand at him. "Please, Jeremiah, we don't have time for such formalities. What's the current situation?"

He returned to an upright angle and cleared his throat. "Due to Zero's tactics, the EU flagship was destroyed and the troops were forced to withdraw. As of right now, the skies are calm."

"We currently have surveillance teams following the retreating forces." Cornelia added. "We lost sight of them heading south, but I've ordered our teams to utilize satellite imaging technology in order to locate them. We believe they may be seeking cover in the island regions."

Within his mask, Zero blinked in surprise. _'Island regions…?'_ he thought. _'Why would the EU take refuge there?'_ As he went over the idea, he supposed it could have something to do with the ruins on Kamine Island. That was the only significant thing about those islands. The majority of them were uninhabited, and the ones that were held old Britannian forts that the Japanese usurped at the end of the Britannian occupation. However, Kamine Island specifically had old ruins that were linked to Geass and C's World. Ruins that Lelouch himself destroyed in order to trap both him and his father in C's World for eternity.

That plan didn't work out exactly as he'd hoped, but the ruins were still dilapidated. Even when he destroyed the Thought Elevator, C.C. and Suzaku still found their way onto the Sword of Akasha. So perhaps he didn't completely sever the link between worlds.

And if Schneizel really is the one behind the EU's offensive, Lelouch shuddered to think how much his brother knew about those ruins, not to mention Geass itself.

"Excellent." Nunnally bowed her head to Cornelia, and then she brought her eyes up to the masked man. Zero had to keep himself from tensing up under her gaze, which was almost foreign to him in the first place. After all, it wasn't long after she opened her eyes that he was assassinated. "And for your help today, Zero, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart." Zero gave a firm nod, but he said nothing. "Now, it's my understanding that you wished to have an audience with me?" Again, he refrained from speaking and responded with a nod.

Cornelia's interest was piqued, and she gave him an accusatory glance. "Why the silence, Zero? Has something happened?"

Zero turned his head to face the Princess, but still, he didn't say a word. Cornelia only scowled at him.

Jeremiah quickly jumped in to defuse the conflict. "Whatever his reasons, I know that Zero wishes to make a request, Your Majesty."

"And why can't he request it himself?" Cornelia snapped.

"It's fine, Cornelia." Nunnally interjected, and the Princess's mouth clicked shut. "I trust Zero above all others, so if he wishes to remain silent, strange as it may be, I will honor it."

For a third time, Zero acknowledged the Empress's kindness with nothing but a small bow of his head.

Jeremiah nodded to her as well before he continued. "Thank you, Your Majesty, and as I was saying, Zero wishes to have a military sector assigned to him. One that is free of influence from the main Armed Forces and exists as a separate entity from it. A unit that is directly under his control."

The outrageousness of that request struck Cornelia silent. A few seconds passed, and when she finally gathered her voice again it held a sharp edge: "In other words, you want to reinstate the Black Knights, is that right?"

A small shrug pulled on Jeremiah's shoulders. "If you wish to interpret it that way, Princess Cornelia, I will not correct you."

Cornelia glared at him and her lips curled into a snarl. She whipped her head around to Nunnally and boomed: "Your Majesty, this is absurd!" Without Guilford there to hold her back, Cornelia seemed to be going full-throttle, but the Empress only blinked at her outburst of anger. "We can't just allow Zero free roam of the battlefield! How can we expect to operate as a whole if we have two separate armies on the front lines?" The Princess paused to calm herself, and Nunnally watched her with interest. "Not to mention how destructive Zero has proven himself to be lately. I shudder to think what will happen if we remove his limitations."

Nunnally nodded, and then looked to Jeremiah. "Cornelia raises several good points, Jeremiah. Do you or Zero have a response?" The Empress remained indifferent for the moment, because a true ruler never chose sides until she understood both positions of the argument. That was the rule Nunnally lived by in these situations. It hadn't failed her yet, and she didn't think it ever would.

Jeremiah brought his hand to his chest in earnest. "I do, Your Majesty. This personal platoon of Zero's will not infringe upon nor inhibit the operations of the traditional Britannian Military. This unit will work separately from the military and will only engage in combat if Her Majesty wishes—and it will also be fit to assist Cornelia in times of duress, as we've witnessed just today."

Cornelia turned and spoke to Jeremiah directly. "And why will this squad report only to Zero? I don't like it. It's teeming with ulterior motives."

"I assure you, Your Highness, there are none." He responded. His voice remained level in contrast to hers.

Nunnally brought a hand to her lips in thought as the two bickered. Before long, she cut their argument short: "From what you're saying, I gather that this outfit will greatly resemble my father's Knights of the Round."

"In some sense, yes, that is true." Jeremiah nodded again.

The Princess brought her head up defiantly. "You'll have to excuse me for not sharing your enthusiasm, Jeremiah. I still see more liabilities than benefits. How is unleashing Zero on the battlefield anything but dangerous? We already know what he's capable of."

"Her Majesty will hold all authority over Zero. He will be unable to act unless she so wishes." He explained. A small grin came over his face as he thought of something. "Instead of thinking of it as Zero's personal force, think of it as a special sector stationed directly beneath Her Majesty. In short, the Empress's trump card."

Nunnally hummed, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, Zero and his squad will remain on standby during regular military operations."

"You are correct."

"And what of specialty operations?"

Jeremiah beamed at her. "A good question, Your Majesty. If you ever wish it, Zero's squad will be readily available for more covert operations that do not require the use of the regular infantry. They will be a skilled unit for deployment when the use of regular forces appears unnecessary or excessive."

Cornelia still wasn't convinced. "And what of after their deployment? Will the Empress retain her power over Zero?"

"To a certain extent, yes." He admitted. "Zero holds the right to execute any maneuvers he sees fit, while the Empress reserves the right to intervene when she believes Zero's acts to be dangerous or otherwise."

"'Dangerous or otherwise'?" The Empress blinked. "That's a fairly large spectrum. So I will be able to stop Zero in the event that I disagree with his actions? "

"Of course, Your Majesty. Such is the power of the sovereign." Jeremiah answered.

"I see." Nunnally pondered. After a few moments, she glanced back up at her sister. "Cornelia, what's your opinion of this?"

The Princess rolled her shoulders back. "It's certainly better than giving Zero free reign, but I'm still wary of it." She paused again, and her voice lowered because she knew that she had been out-negotiated. "However, if you choose to accept this offer, Your Majesty, I will not undermine you."

"And I believe I already know of your support, Jeremiah." Nunnally smiled, while Jeremiah nodded his approval. Finally, the Empress brought her attention to the masked man they were discussing. He had been standing off to the side the entire time. A statue in the room that was silently observing and never interfering. Nunnally's face became serious. "Zero, will you uphold all of the conditions we've laid out here today? And do you promise to act beneath me, in ways that I see fit?"

Zero nodded to her slowly and purposefully without a moment's hesitation.

A grand smile broke across the Empress's face. "Excellent. I have no fear that you'll ever break that promise, Zero." Then she returned her attention to the other two, and addressed the three as a whole. Jeremiah looked pleased with himself, while Cornelia held this dark aura of dread. Nunnally hoped that her worries would eventually be dispelled. "You three are far more experienced in bureaucracy and whatnot than I am, and I trust all of you more than anyone else, so I will leave the setup to you. If Zero proposes that we re-create his personal force, Black Knights or no, well then, I say: Make it so!"

xx

Rivalz ran the polishing cloth over his motorcycle again. He had been sitting inside this empty parking garage next to the Britannian Headquarters for hours. After Milly had told him that she was going to help Zero, he insisted that he be the one to take her there. After all, he couldn't let Milly have all the fun.

But here he was, sitting idly on the sidelines as usual. It's not like he really expected to do anything anyway. He found a way to pass the time by polishing his motorcycle to perfection. He went over it again and again until it gleamed in the dull, artificial light of the garage.

However, the paint was slightly discoloured on the bottom of the vehicle, specifically on the lower left-hand side. Rivalz was meticulous when it came to his bike, so this flaw couldn't be anything but on purpose. He regarded it with a melancholy look in his face. It was where his old sidecar had been attached, so long ago. The uneven sunlight had caused the paint to fade in places, and meticulous as he was, he still couldn't bring himself to paint over it. It was too sad. Even after everything that transpired.

He'd gotten that sidecar specifically for Lelouch, and when he died, Rivalz wouldn't allow anyone else to ride in it. It didn't seem right. So he removed it. It had been there so long that its shadow remained, and Rivalz refused to erase Lelouch from his memory. Sure, he had many, more recent memories that left a bad taste in his mouth, but that wasn't the Lelouch he wanted to remember. Milly didn't seem to want to remember him that way either. Lelouch had been his best friend. That was plain. Nothing could ever change that—not that he'd want to. The Lelouch he knew and the Lelouch the world knew were two starkly different people. The man on the television was not the boy he would go gambling with. He wasn't the Vice President of the Student Council, nor was he Nunnally's doting brother. He was a fabrication.

But Zero… he did have Lelouch's vigor—his passion. He had his sorrow and his love. Of all the masks Lelouch wore, Zero's seemed to fit him best. In fact, although Rivalz had just recently discovered that Lelouch had been Zero all along, the truth fit so perfectly that all he could do was laugh about it. That one fact dropped everything into place, and Rivalz felt that he could understand Lelouch and the choices he made better. Lelouch had never stopped being his friend after all.

Rivalz's greatest fear was that Lelouch's true nature was that of the "Demon Emperor," and the friend he remembered was just a lie. A mask. But that wasn't the case, and needless to say, Rivalz was relieved.

Even more so now that he was able to understand why Lelouch had acted the way he did while he was Emperor. His reaction to Rivalz's confrontation back then wasn't one of indignation, but it was actually a genuine lack of a response. He _couldn't_ respond. It would have broken his façade, and Rivalz just couldn't grasp that at the time.

And now he knows that Lelouch is alive. He would be lying if he said he wasn't excited about it. He was never overtly interested in Zero, but now he was obligated to be interested. Zero was actually his best friend, after all. How could he _not_ be interested?

The only problem was actually getting involved. Milly was able to help out because she worked at the news station, and had access to cameras and other broadcasting equipment… But what could he do? He was just a bartender. He couldn't even begin to touch Lelouch's skills in chess, let alone his intellect in general. That was something Rivalz had always admired in him, and he couldn't stand up to that. He knew it.

But he wasn't going to let that stop him. He'd resort to grunt work if he had to. He didn't pine for some glorified position as his friend's right-hand-man, he was pretty sure that spot was reserved for someone as skilled as Suzaku, but he still wanted _something_.

When he thought back to everything Zero had accomplished while he was in power, it was incredible—and when he thought of those same things with the knowledge that it was Lelouch behind that mask, it was breathtaking.

And it upset him that Lelouch had tried to do it all on his own.

Sure, if Lelouch had come up to him back then and asked him to join the Black Knights he would have laughed in his face, but it was the principle of the thing. Lelouch knew that they wouldn't agree to it, and he probably didn't want to put any of them in danger, so he never got them involved. But now they were involved, and there was nothing he could say to convince them otherwise. Milly had already established herself in a position of aid, and Rivalz absolutely refused to be the odd-man-out this time. He always felt like he was being left out of important matters. It was time to change that.

He didn't have any skills. He wasn't as good of a fighter as Suzaku, who was trained as a soldier. He wasn't the brilliant tactician Lelouch was. He didn't have a job with exploitable perks like Milly. He wouldn't know where to begin operating a Knightmare Frame, let alone as skillfully as Kallen was able. He wasn't a genius engineer like Nina that could create something as devastating as the FLEIJA or something as remarkable as the FLEIJA Eliminator. He wasn't rich and he wasn't in a position of power. He wasn't any of those things.

But that didn't mean he wasn't _something_.

He couldn't let drawbacks like these get in his way. He had determination… however far that got him.

And with that determination, he knew he was going to be involved, no matter how and no matter what, despite his ineffectualness.

Then the echoes of slamming doors caught Rivalz's attention. It was night by now, so the only light in the garage was the pools created by the hanging lights overhead. Rivalz could hear two sets of footsteps as he leaned against his motorcycle. He listened to Milly's girlish giggle, and she stepped into one of the pools of light with her masked escort beside her. The conversation seemed one-sided, but that was just like Milly. She talked while Zero remained silent, and she laughed at his silence. Rivalz was only able to catch the tail-end of their conversation.

"… Like that broadcast of yours, silence can be just as revealing, you know." Milly hummed.

"That's a chance I'm willing to take with you." Zero quipped.

Rivalz had to smile. He knew that voice. It was the original Zero, but it was also Lelouch. "What's the story, you guys?"

Milly faced him with a mirror expression. She pumped one of her fists into the air. "Hot off the press: Zero returns to his theatrical conventions! The EU is crushed in a stylish defeat!"

Within his mask, Zero rolled his eyes. "Glad to see you're taking this seriously. This was an international incident. I wouldn't exactly call it 'stylish'. If anything, it's the precursor of another world war."

Rivalz chuckled at Zero's seriousness and landed a friendly hand on his shoulder. "Lighten up, buddy. We know that."

Milly nodded. "We also know that you can handle whatever 'serious matters' decide to pop up." Zero stared at her in silence. He didn't seem convinced. "We have faith in you."

"Faith, huh?" Zero mumbled to himself, but he did nothing to hide his voice from the other two.

Milly's smile was a genuine one. "Of course we do. Just look at all you've done." She paused, and her expression softened. Rivalz found a hint of sadness in it somewhere. "And without the support of your friends. How were you able to get by without us cheering you on?" Milly's touch of humour was expertly placed, and lightened the mood, if even a bit.

Zero laughed once. "Who knows?"

It was Rivalz's turn to nod. "Exactly. And now you have us to help!"

Zero shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I don't want the two of you being too deeply involved in this. It's too dangerous."

Milly paused for a split second. "Oh, don't start that!" she shouted, giving Zero a light shove. "We're doing this on our own accord. Our own free will. We _want_ to help you." Again, Zero did nothing but silently stare her down. "Now you can make it easier on yourself and accept our help, or we can continue to help you without your consent and make things overly complicated. In the end, we may even inadvertently get in the way. Your choice."

Zero huffed, but he didn't seem upset by her lecture at all. "From the way you're saying it, it doesn't look like I have one."

"Not a very good one, anyway." Rivalz shrugged.

Milly smiled and held out her hand for Zero to shake. "Glad to see we've come to a mutual agreement."

The masked man shook his head again, this time incredulously. He took up Milly's hand because he really _didn't_ have a choice. "You would say that, Milly." As much as he hated putting them in danger like this, he had to agree that it was their decision. He couldn't feel guilty for something that hadn't even happened yet. Besides, like Milly said, if he did refuse their help, they wouldn't listen and attempt it anyway— and probably with catastrophic results. It only made sense to utilize whatever sources he had, no matter who they were.

He would have to take more care of his pieces this time around, though. In chess, one can never be too attached to his pieces, because they may have to be sacrificed in order to achieve checkmate. But this wasn't chess. He was fully aware of that. Even when people like Suzaku accused him of being lost on a chessboard, he knew the difference. In life, the game continues after checkmate.

He cared for these people. They weren't just pieces on the board. He couldn't throw them away like they were nothing. He wasn't that cruel. Suzaku seemed to think so, but that was his own misconception. Lelouch could never use and toss Milly or Rivalz with that sort of detachment. He would have to take extra measures to make sure that it didn't even appear that way.

Rivalz watched the two shake hands and swallowed thickly. It was now or never. "Listen, Lelouch…" Zero turned his head to him, a bit unsettled that he used that name instead of Zero. "I know that I'm not very useful or anything, but still… I want to be able to do something. The Pres has her whole journalism outfit, and that's great, but I…" Rivalz trailed off as his eyes went to the ground. He realized that didn't plan any of this out beforehand. Maybe he really was a useless idiot.

Zero's head tilted to the side. "What do you mean, Rival?"

Rivalz clenched his fists. He brought his gaze back up to stare at the faceless man before him. "I'm not a fighter, or a pilot or anything—I know that! But I still want to help out somehow. Come on, man. I'll do anything." Zero didn't say a word, and Rivalz fell back a little, losing some fervor. "I feel like I have to make up for not helping before."

"You shouldn't."

"But I do," he admitted. "I'm practically begging you, what more do you want? I'll even be Milly's gopher!"

"I like the sound of that!" Milly cackled, but the other two didn't acknowledge her at all.

"Please…" Rivalz's voice finally cracked. This last word was the punctuation of all his desperateness. It was all he had… but was it enough?

Zero studied Rivalz's face and saw how serious he was. He really wanted to have a role in this. Maybe not an important role, but at least something notable.

He pondered on it, but what could Rivalz do? It was a waste of energy to focus on what Rivalz couldn't do… so what did that leave? What was left of Rivalz when you weeded out the ordinary? What made him exceptional?

Zero searched him up and down. He looked all over the boy's physical appearance and through his own memories of him. What stood out?

Then it struck him, and Zero grinned beneath his mask. As he spoke, Rivalz began smiling with boyish delight. "Surprisingly enough, Rival… I believe I have a perfect position for you to fill."

xx

**Author's Notes- **At last, a (relatively) quick update! My first OC makes her debut this chapter! Tanya the Russian. I will continue to develop her throughout the course of the story, obviously.

And let me say that Schneizel's Geass is NOT, I repeat, **NOT** the same as Lelouch's. Shame on any of you that thought that! Give me more credit, huh? Full details on the Geass will be disclosed later!

Also, I would like to note that the final portion of this chapter- which I lovingly call 'Rivalz's Lament'- is arguably my favourite part. Rivalz definitely needed more love in the original canon, and I love having this opportunity to further develop his character. Writing scenes with Rivalz has manged to rank rather high on my list of Things I Love. (Second only to scenes between Suzaku and Lelouch, mind you.)

**Thanks to all my lovely reviewers! You make me so happy!**

**_-Destiny_**


	17. Sixteenth Pass

**Chapter Sixteen**

Lelouch released a heavy sigh as he sat in solitude for a moment. He stole a glance at the mask at his side and began drumming his fingers on the console. A large set of screens was positioned in front of him, displaying various maps, charts, and other data. He rested his face on his free hand as his eyes went over the information. The strain in those eyes was obvious. He was so tired. It was the middle of the night, and these sorts or things always wore him out. It had been a while since he'd done anything like this, anyway. He never expected to be in this kind of position again.

His eyes screwed shut. This was only the beginning of it. He had just set everything up. His workspace and his parameters were in place, for the most part, but the real work was ahead of him. He had to remind himself of that. When he returned his gaze to the screens, he tried to assemble the data within his thoughts. That wasn't turning out to be overly difficult, but his lack of energy wasn't helping at all. At least he had everything he needed in front of him.

Getting information was quite simple now that he'd gained Empress Nunnally's blessing. The "Neo-Black Knights," as Cornelia called them, were currently being created, and with that, he'd taken a large step forward. There were very few things that Zero couldn't access now, but there were still those certain things that he couldn't reach. He didn't expect overreaching power, of course, so he wasn't entirely bothered. However, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed. This was especially true regarding Lloyd Asplund's little scientific inquiry into the Power of the King.

Back in the time of Emperor Lelouch, Lloyd was introduced to Geass. Since he was also aware of the details of the Zero Requiem, it was important for him to know about Lelouch's power. Lloyd was immediately fascinated with Geass. It wasn't a fascination that could rival Knightmare Frames, but he was still interested as a scientist. It must have been a dream come true to have the opportunity to scientifically study something downright magical. He wanted to do personal experiments with the Emperor and study the mechanics of his abilities—and he would whine to Cecile when Lelouch would forbid it. Not even Lord Jeremiah would let him interrogate, and chances were slim that he'd ever run into C.C.. However, to Lelouch's knowledge, Lloyd was able to gather some information. It may not have been much, but Lelouch wanted to know how Geass looked through a scientist's eyes.

Sadly though, those files remained beyond his security clearance. Or at least, he didn't bother asking for them. It would be too suspicious, he supposed. He could live without them. Maybe he would ask Lloyd about them directly one day.

As that thought crossed his mind, something on the screens managed to catch his attention. He leaned over the console to inspect it with a smirk forming on his lips. The retreating EU troops had been lost heading south, but with Cornelia's subordinates utilizing satellite imagery, they were swiftly relocated. It had been several hours since the battle ended, and as of ten minutes ago the EU forces were seen hovering around the island regions. There was one island in particular where the infrared images were especially dark. Clusters of EU vessels were on and surrounding Kaminejima.

Lelouch brought his hand to his temple. His guess had been correct, but it was the opposite of what he wanted. There was no way he could take this as a coincidence. The only reason the enemy forces would go specifically to Kaminejima was its relation to Geass. Now he had to figure out who was leading the assault through the EU, and chances were high that it was Schneizel. Schneizel and Geass was a combination that Lelouch did not want to fathom. Schneizel was unpredictable right now. His motives were too shrouded. There was no telling what end he was aiming for, although Lelouch considered it within his ability to make an educated guess.

But that didn't shake his sense of dread. Schneizel obtaining a Geass was becoming more and more probable, and that would cause an entirely new set of problems for the world he and Suzaku created. Lelouch let out another sigh. It wasn't that he was feeling overwhelmed, but burdened. Of all the things to happen…

Well, he figured it wouldn't be so difficult for him. He defeated Schneizel once before and he would do it again, Geass or no. Someone or something had brought him back from death for that very reason, right? … At least, it was appearing that way. There's no telling what the true reason for his return is. It had been weighing on his thoughts for a while. How and why he returned was turning into a true mystery. It seems likely that it has something to do with Geass itself, but he wasn't sure how exactly. He would have to force C.C. into a serious conversation about it at some point.

It was just something else on his long list of things to figure out.

xx

The night was particularly dark over Tokyo. Part of the city was still a brightly lit metropolis, but Jeremiah couldn't help but think that it had lost some of its brilliance. Perhaps it was all the dust and smoke in the air from the earlier battle, or maybe it was the huge crater Zero had created a few blocks away. Whatever it was, it had cast a heavy darkness upon the city. Jeremiah was separated from the gleaming skyscrapers in the distance by a thick sea of black.

A cool October breeze swept by him as he stood on the roof of the Britannian Headquarters. He never imagined seeing Tokyo in such disarray when he arrived a few days ago. All he wanted was to present a gift to Her Majesty Nunnally and help her through the day. He never wanted to see Lelouch's world crumble like this.

Well, this was not the time to brood, he supposed, although there wasn't much else for him to do at the moment. He cleared his thoughts and gazed out over the city, taking in the cool night air. Tomorrow will surely be an eventful day, he thought.

Just as he was thinking that, he heard a small voice come from behind him: "Jeremiah."

He recognized the voice immediately, but he wasn't expecting her to show up like this. He turned to face her with a questioning stare. "Anya? What are you doing here?"

The pink-haired girl's expression was its usual deadpan as she pocketed her mobile device. "Things are unstable," she explained in monotone. "I came as soon as I heard the news about the attack for the Empress."

"Well, you are a friend of hers," he mused. "I suppose it's only natural… What about the Mordred?"

"I came on the Mordred."

That had Jeremiah chuckling under his breath. "Excessive as always. But what did you expect to do?"

"Who knows?" Anya shrugged.

"The situation isn't good, Anya. It's dangerous—and the Knights of the Round don't exist anymore." Anya regarded this with a slight tilt of her head. "Princess Cornelia has already shown her distaste with non-regulation units on the battlefield, and I have to agree with her that it only begets chaos."

"Is that so?" She brushed off his serious words, turning her gaze to the sky in a casual way. "I only came with the idea of speaking to her Majesty."

Jeremiah sighed a bit at that. "Her Majesty is currently on lockdown in an undisclosed location, so that may prove to be difficult…." Then he drifted off, mulling over the idea. This was an especially stressful time for Nunnally, so she would welcome any friendly face with open arms. However, getting Cornelia to agree to such a thing was an entirely different story. It was a security risk, yes, but it was also Anya. Perhaps if she was more closely involved, and not just some bystander… "But I believe that it will do Her Majesty some good to hear from you. I'll see what I can do to arrange it."

Anya bowed her head to him ever so slightly, a delicate grin pulling her lips into a curve. "Thank you."

He returned his eyes to the city as he continued pondering his options. "I will also see about getting you and your Mordred a place on the battlefield." He stated. "As long as you don't mind working under Zero."

"Zero?" she blinked. Zero was the one that killed the Demon Emperor Lelouch. He also led the Black Knights' assault against Britannia. He supposedly died during the Second Battle of Tokyo before suddenly reappearing. His history and motives were muddled and confusing. She had a hard time keeping track of what his aims were. Then again, Jeremiah seemed especially loyal to him—even though he was also loyal to Lelouch for reasons he's never explained to her. It never bothered Anya much, though. She supposed he had his reasons, as Jeremiah was a peculiar man. And if Jeremiah had faith in Zero, then she could as well. "I can't say I do."

Jeremiah nodded. "I didn't think you would. And speaking of the Knights of the Round, have you heard anything about Sir Weinberg?"

Anya shook her head, fishing out her mobile phone. "I haven't. The last I heard he was off searching for something."

"Interesting," he hummed. "I'll have to look into it."

"Don't bother. I can manage." She mumbled. In fact, she was already searching through her device for clues and contacts.

"Of course," he grinned. Even a year later, Anya still seemed a bit dependent on that phone of hers. She no longer needed to store her memories there, but Jeremiah guessed it was a force of habit. She would break it on her own eventually. After another moment, he turned back to Anya with a mischievous glint in his eye. "Now then, shall we go request an audience with the Empress?"

Anya only shrugged. Her eyes never left the screen of her mobile. "I suppose."

xx

"Prime Minister." Tohdoh spoke the words without looking up from the piles of work set before him. He was seated at a large conference table along with Prime Minister Kaname Ohgi. The two had been working diligently through the night and it was beginning to appear on their faces. Every so often, one of them would rub at his eyes or bring his hand down over his face. Meanwhile, various intern-like officers were darting in and out of the room at certain increments. Sometimes they would carry news; other times a new piece of paperwork. Either way, there didn't seem to be an end to them.

Tohdoh typed a few things into the small computer by his side. "I can handle it from here. You should return home." He still didn't raise his eyes. His free hand was busy searching through the several maps and papers scattered across the table in front of him.

Ohgi only blinked in surprise at Tohdoh's request. A sad sort of smile came across his face as he further loosened his tie. "You know I can't do that," he murmured, scratching his signature onto another page. "I won't abandon you under this mountain of work."

"It's fine. You should go." Tohdoh pressed, still not gazing up from his work. "It's very late. You have a family, after all."

"And you don't?"

"Not in the same sense, no."

Ohgi put on that same smile and shook his head. "Regardless, it's someone waiting for you to come home."

A frown came over the General's face. "Our situations are not remotely comparable. You have a young child at home. An infant."

"And a wife who is more than capable of taking care of her." Ohgi rebutted. "Those two are perfectly fine—and Villeta is aware of the situation." Tohdoh remained silent. "Besides, we have to ensure the safety of the Britannian Empress. She's on our soil."

"I can't argue with that." Tohdoh muttered. "If anything happens to the Empress, especially now, we'll be inviting an uprising. I won't have the people of this country exposed to such violence again."

Ohgi nodded, an ominous feeling creeping up on him. "Those Loyalists will look for any reason to blame us if she's harmed. Conspiracies will rise, and trust will fall. Things are more fragile now than ever."

It was Tohdoh's turn to nod, and the two worked in silence for a few more minutes.

"I am giving you the opportunity to go home to your family." Tohdoh blurted, putting down his pen at last. He met his friend's gaze with sincerity. "There's not much we can do now. It would be fine for you to leave. Allow me to sift through all these possibilities and present you with a proper plan in the morning."

The Prime Minister let out a sigh. "I can see you're not going to let it go. Okay—have it your way." After signing one last paper, he pushed his seat back and got to his feet. "I'll go home. Just make sure to alert me if anything happens."

Tohdoh nodded, picking up his pen once again. "Of course."

Ohgi casually made his way to the door before a thought occurred to him. He turned back to Tohdoh for a moment with a playful grin pulling at his lips. "Get along well with the Britannians." Tohdoh didn't react to the joke at all. Ohgi released another sigh. "Don't leave Chiba waiting too long," he smirked. That comment actually earned a response from the stoic General, but Ohgi left too quickly to notice his glare.

With Ohgi gone, Tohdoh let out a heavy breath. He studied the pages in front of him and tried to derive a suitable next move. There were so many circumstances to put into consideration, not to mention the aftereffects. It's the one thing Tohdoh could never stand about proper strategizing: it was tiring. Absolutely tiring. He wondered how Zero was able to pull it off almost constantly. He had to be a man of unlimited energy. As if Tohdoh needed another reason to respect him.

Another half hour passed with Tohdoh working alone. Even the interns had managed to go home as the situation calmed down, but Tohdoh didn't quit. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was leaving something unfinished. The trouble was that he had no idea what he was leaving. How bothersome.

That's when he heard the thunderous footsteps of Princess Cornelia entering the conference room. "That Zero," she ranted. "I don't understand what's going on with him lately, but I know that I don't like it. What on earth is he thinking?"

Tohdoh gave the raging Princess a sidelong glance. She was awfully energetic for the middle of the night. "How is everything, Princess Cornelia?" His curiosity was stilted, all of his energy going into completing his work.

She turned to him as if she'd just noticed he was there. "I'm not sure if you'll believe it," she muttered.

The General laughed through his nose. "There are very few things I don't believe anymore."

Cornelia remained unimpressed. "Concerning Zero?"

He paused for a moment. "Zero does have a tendency to surprise, doesn't he?"

A harsh-looking smile appeared on the Princess's face. "Where do I even begin?"

xx

An anonymous foot-soldier had been wandering through the corridors rather aimlessly for a while now. His first appearance had gone unnoticed beneath a cover of chaos, and even though that chaos had since died down, the soldier remained. He wasn't a threatening presence within the Britannian Headquarters, so no one paid particular attention to him. In fact, he was hardly a presence at all. He was merely a faceless entity that came along with the Britannian Government. Although he was out of place, no one seemed to notice or care. His existence was that insignificant. The soldier couldn't decide if that irked or relieved him.

After all, he had just been stripped of his identity. Now he was nothing more than an anonymous soldier.

He had surrendered the mask of Zero to Lelouch, thereby leaving himself with nothing. He was a vacuum. He was no one.

When he first accepted Zero's mask, he accepted the role. He was Zero. He could no longer be himself, and Lelouch could no longer be Zero. So how was it possible for Lelouch to come back from the dead and reclaim the mask? Perhaps it was only because he had accepted the mask that Lelouch was able to take it back. So if he wanted to become his former self, he would have to take it back from someone else. … But he didn't leave his identity to anyone. He'd abandoned it. Like Lelouch and Nunnally during the Invasion of Japan, he died during the Great War. He even had a grave.

Then again, so did Lelouch. Lelouch had a grave—he even had a funeral. Several people saw his lifeless body posed inside a coffin before being buried in the ground forever. And yet, he was alive.

So… what was in that coffin now?

He shook off the thought. That wasn't important right now. He needed a role. He wasn't going to let Lelouch to strip him of everything without any recompense. He would do whatever he had to. He just wanted to exist, because his situation right now was no different than being dead. It was especially true because he _was_ dead. Unlike Lelouch, he couldn't just step backwards into a role. There was nowhere for him to turn back to. His previous identity was gone.

Officially: Suzaku Kururugi was dead.

Maybe it was time to stop wandering aimlessly. He made his way to the upstairs observation deck, entering using the passcode that Lelouch, or rather Zero, had given him earlier that day. With this, there was no longer a need for posted guards. It was simpler and Lelouch wouldn't have to worry about specificity.

As he came into the room he immediately tore the helmet from his head. It was as if it disgusted him. He wanted rid of it as soon as possible. But he didn't discard it. It was all he had.

He looked up from the helmet in his hands and scanned the room for Zero. It took Suzaku a moment to spot him sitting in front of the main controls. He was leaning back into a large chair, so all Suzaku could see was one of his hands hanging limply over the armrest. His mask was lying off to the side, remaining within arm's reach at all times.

Suzaku tucked the soldier's helmet under his arm with a sigh. He couldn't criticize Lelouch for his cautiousness because it was that same cautiousness that kept him from being captured for so long. However, when Suzaku topped the stairs to the upper deck, he noticed how vulnerable Lelouch was at this moment. He wasn't active at all. His head was propped onto his hand and his eyes were closed. Suzaku had the passing thought that he was dead.

Then he saw that he was breathing and felt like a fool for not realizing he was asleep.

Well, he thought, there's really no telling with him. He came back from death without warning, so maybe he would return that way too.

A small grin creased Suzaku's face. This was just like him. Working without realizing that he was exhausting himself. Suzaku couldn't blame him. What time was it again? He couldn't remember, but he knew that it was far into the night. He was starting to feel rather fatigued himself.

It was obvious that Lelouch had no intention of falling asleep here. After all, he wouldn't leave himself in such a compromising position on purpose. He had been going non-stop since he'd first revealed his presence to Suzaku, not to mention the three days before that. Phantom or not, it was bound to catch up with him at some point.

Then Suzaku stopped, and the smile fell from his lips. Why was he smiling? This was Lelouch, he reminded himself. All of things he's done… He was not someone to regard in such a jovial way. Suzaku went along with the Zero Requiem because he agreed with what Lelouch was trying to accomplish. He believed in it and fought for it. His and Lelouch's final sacrifices would represent the culmination of everything. The purging of all the hatred from the world. That was quite a heavy claim, but for the most part, their goal was achieved. Suzaku had no complaints. There really was no other conclusion. It was the only way.

But now it seems like it was all for nothing. It wasn't the fact that the world was in turmoil again, nor the realization that Schneizel's Geass command may have been broken. Suzaku was bothered that everything seemed to be how it was before. It was just like the Zero Requiem had never happened, and therefore Lelouch had not redeemed himself. Suzaku could respect the Lelouch that had given his life for the sake of the future, yet he couldn't bring himself to feel the same about the Lelouch that sat behind Zero's mask. They were two different people in his eyes.

Suzaku frowned. Despite all of these things, here he was empathizing with Lelouch as if he were an old friend. That may be true in the technical sense, but Suzaku wasn't sure. Could he even call Lelouch his friend? Were they friends, or simply partners of circumstance? He couldn't tell anymore.

Not that it mattered. He had to stay focused on the problem at hand.

Suzaku rolled his eyes and passed behind Lelouch's chair with an outstretched hand. He purposefully knocked Lelouch's arm away so the weight of his head was no longer supported. Lelouch began tipping out of the chair before waking up and straightening himself with a wild jerk. His hands were instinctively gripped onto the arms of his chair like he was falling off of the Earth.

Suzaku could've laughed under lighter circumstances, but he made a point not to. He didn't wake Lelouch that way to be funny.

It didn't take long for Lelouch to figure out what happened, and sent a sharp glare in Suzaku's direction as soon as he became aware of him. "How unnecessary," he muttered, bringing his hand down over his face.

Suzaku ignored his grumblings. "This is no place to be sleeping. Have you decided our next move?"

"Do you doubt me, Suzaku?" he smirked. Suzaku didn't respond. "The proper arrangements have been made. I'm awaiting a few more responses, but it's to be expected so late in the evening."

"So everything is in place?"

"Yes, and even Princess Cornelia is appearing helpful. I've had to rebuild from the ground up…" He paused. "Since this new squad is so small, there's no need for an intricate chain of command. It's all rather simple."

"I see," Suzaku mumbled.

Lelouch gave him a quick glance. He seemed to notice that something was plaguing Suzaku's mind, but he didn't bother inquiring about it. "In any event, things are almost completed."

"Almost?" Suzaku blinked.

Lelouch hummed a laugh. "You didn't expect to remain on the sidelines, did you?" Suzaku only stared at him. "You are a very strong piece, Suzaku. Being who I am, I can't ignore your existence."

Suzaku shot him a look. "I'm not sure how I feel about being called a 'piece.'"

"It's a turn of phrase. Pay it no mind."

"Regardless…"

"Regardless," Lelouch interrupted him, "you play an important role. But first we must establish that role."

Suzaku bit the inside of his cheek. He was feeling conflicted again. He didn't know if he should be relieved to have a part, or if he should dread whatever Lelouch had planned. He still hadn't come to terms with this conflict when Lelouch brought some infrared images onto the screen in front of them. The images were from a surveillance satellite over the southern island regions of Japan. Suzaku noticed that one of the islands was labeled 'Kaminejima.' He looked to Lelouch and wondered what he was plotting.

Lelouch was studying the images with a certain glint in eyes that Suzaku couldn't place. "Now," he started, a grin forming on his face, "shall we go on the offensive?"

Finally, Suzaku decided how to feel. He dreaded this. If only because he had no idea what to expect.

xx

Once again, Nunnally found herself sitting in bed, unable to sleep. Although it was so late, she had too much on her mind. Her insomnia was becoming a ritual as of late. It was already bothersome. She was exhausted, but her mind would not allow her to rest. How was she supposed to keep her wits about her if she was drowsy? It was nothing but a snowball effect of problems.

The only upside to the situation was that she wouldn't have to make any public appearances any time soon. Since she was on lockdown at the Britannian Embassy, her duties were being limited to the bare minimum. Zero and Cornelia were covering the majority of them for the moment. Even so, she was troubled with the state of affairs.

The room Nunnally was placed in for the night was small but comfortable. The people at the Embassy were trying their best to be accommodating, especially since it was so last-minute. She thought they were doing a wonderful job.

It was Cornelia's idea for her to remain at the Embassy overnight, and Nunnally couldn't counter her on a decision like that. She didn't see any harm in it. Cornelia claimed that they ought to play it safe until the situation was stable. It was understandable.

Then again, Nunnally did think that putting her on lockdown was a bit much. Not even Zero, her knight, could see her without Cornelia's direct permission. That struck the Empress as odd. Zero was her knight, bodyguard, and the head of both her personal guard and forces. He was the person Nunnally trusted most.

She thought that Cornelia trusted him as well, but apparently that's changed. Granted, he has been acting differently lately, but that's no reason to stop trusting him. Nunnally attributed Zero's strange behavior to the situation. It was natural, right? Things were turbulent, and Zero was responding accordingly.

But Cornelia wasn't buying it. She kept saying something about an uneasy feeling. Nunnally didn't understand it at all.

The Empress sighed, smoothing the creases in the bed sheet with her fingers. She put all of her faith in Zero, while Cornelia kept him under a watchful eye. It made for a tense atmosphere. Cornelia's treated him like an entirely different person since the first attack. It was true that Nunnally had sensed a change in him and his actions, but that was to be expected. People act differently in peacetime and wartime, don't they? That went double for Zero. It was obvious that he would jump to the offensive. So why was Cornelia so suspicious of him?

After all, Zero was Zero. That fact would never change.

A tap from the door caught Nunnally's attention. She looked to the door with a worried expression. For them to bother her this late… it had to be something important. "What is it?"

"Ah, I apologize, Your Majesty!" Even behind the closed door, she recognized the voice of one of the guards stationed outside. "Were you asleep?"

Nunnally smiled, "Don't worry. I wasn't asleep. What is it you wanted?"

"Your Majesty, you have a visitor, and even though we informed her of the time and that you were most likely asleep, she demanded that we check to make sure. If you are awake, she requests to speak with you as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible?" Nunnally blinked. "Is her business that important?"

"That was our question as well. She insisted that it was important, but it was not business."

"I see," she mused. "Who is it?"

"It is a representative from the United Federation of Nations: the Chairwoman herself."

Another smile appeared on the Nunnally's face. "Very well, show her in."

The guard didn't respond to that. Instead, a few seconds passed before the door slid open, revealing a young Japanese girl of the Empress's age. She was dressed in an interesting mix of Western and Japanese attire, and her long black hair was gathered together behind her back. Her green eyes were friendly and sincere. Contrary to how she treated the guards, she entered Nunnally's room very calmly and with a respectful bow.

"I'm sorry it took me so long, I came as soon as I was able." She explained.

Nunnally shook her head. "That's quite alright, Kaguya. I understand. Things have been chaotic."

Kaguya came completely into the room and the door shut itself behind her. When she was no longer under the scrutiny of Nunnally's guards, her personality burst to the surface. She flurried over to the edge of Nunnally's bed and sat down with a playful wink. "But Your Majesty," she began, "that is precisely why I'm here!"

xx

**Author's Notes—**Well, sorry for the long wait, again… I hit a wall of sorts earlier in the summer, you understand. One of these days I'm going to realize that I should be working on the NEXT chapter instead of scenes that aren't going to happen for chapters and chapters. Sheesh.

Anyways, thanks to all of you who've stayed with me! I've never had so many Favourites and Alerts and whatnot! Happiness! While I may have fooled you with this lengthy chapter, if you look carefully, nothing actually happened. (I dropped lots of hints and things, though!) Next chapter will be different, of course. The last SIX chapters have all taken place within ONE day, and that day is over at last! ... Maybe that's just a teensy bit contrived, hmn? Better make it two. I can make that work. Ah, well.

I will be bringing back many beloved canon characters in the coming chapters! Look forward to it!

'**Till we meet again,**

_**-Destiny**_


	18. Seventeenth Pass

**Chapter Seventeen**

Zero's personal chambers existed in a very specific location within the Empress's Wing of the Britannian Headquarters. It was especially cryptic in that it was not connected to the main hall at all. In fact, one had to go through the Empress's own chambers in order to enter. The Empress's room was special due to the fact that doors occupied three of its four walls. Aside from the door to the hall and the Empress's private bathroom, there was the door that led into Zero's chambers. These two rooms were originally designed and intended for visiting royalty and their knights and guards. The room that connected directly to the corridor was for the guard, and the far room for the royal. However, due to special circumstances, Nunnally insisted that Zero be the one to use the far room. It didn't take much coercion. At the time, Suzaku understood how important it was to keep his identity secret. No one, not even Cornelia, could be allowed to know—if she hadn't deduced it already.

More recently, the peculiar setup of these rooms was being fully utilized by Lelouch and C.C. Lelouch, of course, occupied the room farthest from the hall, while C.C.—on account of Nunnally's absence—kept the other. The room that C.C. had previously requested was now filled by a foot soldier. The same soldier that had been haunting the halls of Headquarters for a day or so. Hopefully that soldier's disposition would be changing very soon.

It was early in the morning, and Lelouch was standing in front of a narrow hanging mirror within his chambers. He was busy pondering his schedule for the day while fixing his ascot with deft hands. Zero's mask was currently set upon the small table to his right, and the cape was thrown over the back of the chair that accompanied it. On the other side of the room, C.C. lay stretched out upon the large bed with an open magazine in front of her. Lelouch couldn't imagine why she chose to read here when she had her own room, especially since she wasn't speaking to him at all. Perhaps she merely wanted the company, or maybe she just came to bother him. He'd given up hope on ever understanding her motives for anything of that nature.

Although, this was a perfect opportunity, he thought. He needed to speak with C.C. about his reappearance, and about the nature of Geass. As long as he's known her, as long as they've been accomplices, he couldn't recall a time that they actually spoke about the power in detail. Even when planning the Zero Requiem. He figured it would be a waste of energy to inquire about it, because she would most definitely deflect it. It wasn't so important then, anyway. But it was important now.

All he had to do was open up the conversation. But how?

Lelouch winced at a sudden jolt of pain. He'd been so lost in his thoughts that he'd driven his tie tack straight through the fabric of his ascot and into the pad of his thumb. He inspected the wound and clicked his tongue at the tiny bead of blood that he found there. He had to wipe it off on one of his handkerchiefs before he was able to fasten the tack correctly. The wound seemed dried up after a second glance, so he slipped on his gloves without giving it another thought.

As he allowed his mind to wander once again, he came back to the question: How would he draw C.C. into explaining anything? And what chance did he have at succeeding if he worked spontaneously?

First thing's first: The possibility of Schneizel possessing Geass. If Schneizel managed to attain Geass, would there be any way of anticipating his specific ability? The manifestation of Geass appears to differ depending on the user's personal afflictions and aspirations. If it was someone Lelouch knew personally, someone he could easily read, would it then be possible for him to read their Geass? He could only wonder.

"Hmn, that's interesting." He mumbled to himself, and waited a moment for a reaction.

C.C. sighed, and answered him without looking up from her magazine. "Should I even bother asking?"

"I was just thinking of Geass." He grinned, to which C.C. narrowed her eyes. "If I can understand Geass, then I can create better countermeasures against it. Especially if Schneizel is involved."

A shrug rolled from her shoulders. "That may be true, but I don't consider it interesting."

"Of course, I was led to thinking how Geass differs from person to person." Lelouch fixed the cuffs of his sleeves as he spoke, ignoring C.C.'s quips. "I wonder if I would be able to anticipate someone's ability. Someone I knew well… like Suzaku, for example."

C.C. huffed. "I wouldn't waste energy on things like that."

"I'll spend my musings on whatever I please, if that's alright with you." He rebutted, but it wasn't harsh at all.

"Either way, it's nothing to worry about. You'd better spend your time musing on more important things." She muttered along with a loud flick of a page.

Lelouch grinned at her, noting her slight hostility. "Understanding this power of mine isn't important? Or are you saying that the idea of Kallen or Suzaku having Geass isn't important?"

"I'm saying it's impossible."

This gave him pause. "And why is that?"

C.C.'s shoulders appeared to drop a bit, and she buckled—if only to shut him up so she could read in peace. "Well, for one, Suzaku is incapable of possessing Geass."

There was a longer moment of silence as Lelouch processed this information. "What?"

"I sensed it in him long ago, while Euphemia was still alive." She breathed. "Even if I tried to form a contract with him, it would turn out catastrophically."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Explain."

"In your own words: Geass grants your greatest wish. It manifests differently in each person that has it." She spoke matter-of-factly, to which Lelouch nodded. "In short, Suzaku is a man who desires nothing. And as it stands now he possesses no reason for living."

"And if he were to acquire a reason for living, would that change anything?"

"Probably not, though I can't say with all certainty. Suzaku is the kind of person one only meets once every hundred years or so." Then a small smirk came over the witch's face. "Much like yourself."

"I'll try to remember that." He muttered.

"He may also be sensitive to fluctuations within the Collective Unconscious," she continued. "But that is merely a guess, and I have no proof or anything of the sort to base it off of. It's just something I've suspected since that time."

"In Narita?"

She shook her head. "No. Much later. He was able to sense that something was wrong just before you used Geass on Euphemia." An unreadable expression appeared on Lelouch's face. "He knew I was in the cockpit of the Gawain without me revealing myself to him."

"I see," he mumbled. "That's… interesting." C.C. glanced up at him. She expected a different answer. "Bizarre, but interesting." Then he brought his attention back to her. "Is there anything especially significant about this information?"

C.C. simply shrugged. "Not that I'm aware of."

He mimicked her earlier smirk. He wasn't surprised. But this new information wasn't useless to him. It helped him gain further insight into the workings of Geass. He'd never thought that there were those who were unable to possess it. It also helped him place Suzaku securely into the grand scheme of things.

Most importantly, C.C. said nothing about his earlier proposition being impossible. There may be a way for him to anticipate Schneizel's power, and if he could do that, he'd have the upper hand. The only problem was getting clues, because he doubted that he could make a guess based on his knowledge alone. That would have to come later, though. He had too many things to tend to today. He had to get started.

"Well, this has been a most interesting conversation, C.C." Lelouch spoke sincerely while positioning Zero's cape upon his shoulders.

"I suppose," she quipped. "Next time, just ask me directly. There's no need for your poorly-constructed segues."

He gave a chuckle as he brought the mask to his face. She'd seen right through him the entire time. Again, he wasn't surprised. "You know how I thrive on theatrics."

C.C. put on a grin of her own, but she still didn't glance up from her magazine as he strolled from the room.

However, he didn't make it very far. As soon as he stepped into the main hall, he was greeted by a feminine voice that stopped him in his tracks. "Good morning, Zero."

He swiveled around and, being caught off guard, sputtered her name. "Kaguya-?" he stopped, his mouth clicking shut within his mask. He couldn't just speak freely. He knew that. He needed to be more careful.

Still, Kaguya raised an eyebrow at his behavior. He decided to ignore it—and hoped she would as well—and gave a short bow of his head in greeting.

She shrugged it off, much to his relief. It wasn't that unusual, she supposed. "It's good to see you again." She smiled genuinely at him. "I came as soon as my responsibilities would allow. I wanted to assure Britannia of the UFN's unyielding support in the face of this crisis." And then a small giggle came from her closed lips—a streak of familiarity amongst a backdrop of formality. "Of course, things like this are better done in person, don't you agree?"

Again, Zero only nodded in response. He couldn't risk anyone recognizing his voice, and if anyone would—aside from Nunnally—it would be Kaguya Sumeragi.

"It helps to create a sense of trust." She explained. Zero still said nothing. After a short pause, she bowed towards him at a respectable forty-five degrees. "I understand how busy you must be, so I won't take up any more of your time. But I must tell you that I spoke to the Empress after my arrival last night, and she wishes for me to send her regards."

A spark of recognition flashed across Lelouch's face. _I see_, he thought. The reason Kaguya was talking to him here, in person, was because Nunnally wanted her to check up on him. The Empress couldn't do it herself, after all, so she asked a favor of a friend. That was typical of Nunnally, worrying over her bodyguard's well-being when she was the one in danger.

It also gave him a thought. He hadn't figured Kaguya into his calculations at all. He knew nothing of her situation. Things can change after a year, and he hadn't been briefed about the state of the UFN, nor Kaguya's role in it. When the UFN was abolished over a year ago, she was the representative of the United States of Japan and the Chairwoman of the entire Federation. While he knew that the UFN was eventually reformed, he'd heard nothing of Kaguya. The past few days were hectic for him, and the opportunity to ask Suzaku or the others about it never came up, so he had no information. He would have to put that on his list of things to do as well.

Pleased with the conversation, the masked man nodded one last time before going to leave. As he reached Kaguya's side, he mumbled ever-so quietly: "Thank you for the message." His voice was barely above a whisper, and he was sure that Kaguya had never heard him speak in such a manner. At the very least, it was hard to discern. But he felt compelled to respond to her. It felt too cruel if he didn't.

Kaguya's eyes lit up as his words reached her. She turned to watch him from over her shoulder, a strange expression forming on her face.

That was odd. That didn't sound like her cousin. Suzaku wouldn't typically speak to her as Zero, and whenever he did, it was in a forceful and strained voice. Zero's voice just then seemed calm, proud even. It was a bit restrained, but it was definitely smoother than usual. So the recent rumors were true. He was indeed acting differently.

Although Kaguya wouldn't go so far as to say Zero was acting strangely. In fact, to her, it looked like Zero was only trying to live up to his name. He was merely emulating the Zero she admired so long ago.

This thought alone caused a beautiful smile to grace her lips, and she continued about her business with a warm feeling of nostalgia bubbling in her chest.

xx

As Zero entered the Control Room, he found Jeremiah already awaiting him there. Along with him was the former Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim. Zero took immediate notice of this, but before he had the chance to speak, the loud chirp of a camera shutter reached his ears. He brought his eyes down to the pink-haired girl before him, who looked up jadedly from behind her mobile phone.

Zero gave the girl a once-over without revealing his surprise. "Miss Alstreim?"

Anya simply nodded. "It's been a while, Zero."

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" He spoke with a short glance in Jeremiah's direction. It was strange that Anya had shown up so soon. Zero had only sent out the information for the "Neo-Black Knights" last night—which wasn't even twelve hours ago by now. So Anya decided to appear without any sort of response? Or perhaps she had some other business here?

Anya answered his question once she was finished saving his picture into her phone. "I arrived last night in order to seek an audience with Her Majesty, considering her current situation. However, the Empress is on lockdown, of course, so I was unable to see her." Zero nodded, and the girl motioned towards Jeremiah. "Lord Jeremiah then told me of your plans to reform the Black Knights in a way that resembles the Knights of the Round and asked me if I would join. I would gladly work if it's for Her Majesty. Hopefully being involved like this will help me speak with her."

Zero found himself satisfied with her answer, and extended his gloved hand to young knight. "I can't argue with that, Miss Alstreim. Thank you for your support."

"Please, just call me Anya." She mumbled, taking up his hand in a shake. "I'm not fit for such formalities." Then she stole a glance at Jeremiah once again. "Besides, living with Jeremiah, I've come to hate such polite speech."

Jeremiah grinned at her. "And yet you still use it during occasions such as these."

Anya shrugged. "I'm conditioned that way." With that, she pulled out her phone, thereby ending her part of the conversation.

Zero turned and finally brought his attention to one of his most trusted aides. "What's the current situation, Jeremiah?"

Jeremiah looked down to the tablet in his hands. A proud smile broke across his face before he spoke: "There has been a surprisingly good turnout for your call to arms. The Neo-Black Knights, for lack of better terms, currently have around eighty members. This is including myself, Anya, Kallen Kouzuki, Her Majesty's tutor Sayoko Shinozaki, and perhaps Sir Gino Weinberg." Zero regarded this news with a few silent nods. He went up to one of the many control panels in the room and brought up some of his research notes. Meanwhile, Jeremiah continued: "It appears that many of the applicants are Britannians that remained in Japan after the Great War. The majority of them have military and Knightmare Frame experience. Surprisingly though, a rather large amount of applicants are Japanese citizens who wish to fight for peacekeeping, despite the fact that they will be fighting beneath the flag of Britannia." He looked towards Zero to gauge his reaction. "Maybe they realize that Britannia is not the only country involved in this skirmish… or perhaps this is your influence at work, Zero."

Zero huffed. What a thing to suggest. "I would suspect the former."

Jeremiah shrugged it off and began punching some information into the tablet. "Regardless, I must say it's quite remarkable."

"And I agree with you. However, why is Sir Weinberg's involvement not confirmed yet?"

Anya spoke up without removing her eyes from her phone: "He contacted me earlier and told me that he was already in Japan. He should be here this afternoon."

Jeremiah hummed. "What could he be doing in Japan, I wonder?"

"Who knows?" Anya shrugged. "I told you he was looking for something. That's all I know." Some artificial sounds came from her mobile. "He claims that he'll join us once he's learned the details of the situation."

"I suppose I can't argue with that." Zero conceded. "I assume that I have the Engineering Division within my reach as well?" He looked to Jeremiah, who nodded. "Good. Any word from the Chinese Federation?"

"There hasn't been anything so far. Shall I request contact for you?"

Zero shook his head. "No, that's alright. I trust that I'll hear from them soon." Jeremiah didn't respond, and he returned his attention to his research notes. After a few moments, he mumbled to himself: "As fearsome as Li Xingke was as an enemy, I can only imagine how beneficial it would be to have him on my side."

Jeremiah nodded with mild enthusiasm. "This is true. Given the circumstances, I'm sure he'll be willing."

Within the mask, Zero released a tiny breath. "I certainly hope so."

Zero and Jeremiah worked for the next hour or so delving into the research and information that Zero had gathered. They began cementing the fine details in the counterattack strategy, as well as reinforcing the main skeleton. They mapped out the terrain of the proposed battlefield and plotted the infrastructure of the Black Knights. Anya came and went almost as she pleased. She was constantly sucked into her phone for some reason, which was usually a form of social media. All the talk of battle plans, tactics and military jargon bored her, so she would frequently leave to take a walk or simply wander around Headquarters.

During one of Anya's outings, the two men came to discuss the ranking system within the Black Knights. Jeremiah wondered if Zero intended to reprise the Round's system of Knights by Number. Personally, he'd always found it ironic that both Britannia's highest and lowest individuals were referred to by their numbers.

Zero rejected the idea immediately. There were far too many people for that, but it still wasn't overly large. Since this new order was so small—compared to the Black Knights at their height—there was no need for an intricate hierarchy. He explained that there would be only two distinctive lines within the forces. One separated the regular infantry from the elite—much like Zero's personal guard during the early days of the Black Knights. The other line designated two specific knights to serve directly beneath Zero, and they, in turn, split the elite group in two sections beneath them. Jeremiah knew straight away that these two positions were reserved for Kallen and Suzaku, who were by far the strongest fighters in the order.

In a strange change of pace, Zero gave Jeremiah a choice. He presented him with three options: Have his own section of the elite squad assigned to him and work beside Kallen and Suzaku; Choose to work within one or travel between both of the squads, working beneath Kallen or Suzaku; or Become the head commander of the regular infantry. Jeremiah was grateful that Zero would give him a choice in the first place. After all, Jeremiah trusted his judgment best. In the end, he decided on the infantry commander's position. Zero commented on that being his preferred choice for him, as he was a skilled leader and soldier, capable of raising his men up with words as well as actions.

"You flatter me, Your Majesty." Jeremiah spoke with a short bow, allowing himself the honorific. "I am not worthy of such praise from you."

Zero waved it away, and the sudden call of a transmitter cut off any response he was going to make. A video transmission was coming through. Jeremiah instantly went to the source of the sound and announced: "It's the Chinese Federation."

"Bring it up." Zero instructed, and Jeremiah did so.

In a few moments, the transmission flickered to life and revealed the Chinese Empress Tianzi sitting uneasily on her throne. She looked a lot older than the last time Zero saw her, although it had only been a year or so. She was taller, and her shoulders were a bit broader. Her face wasn't round and childlike anymore, giving her an air of maturity and authority. She had to be fifteen or sixteen by now, Zero thought. She was a blossoming young woman—just like Nunnally was. That idea sent a pang through his chest, but he did nothing to indicate such a thing.

The screen displayed Empress Tianzi from the waist up, but Zero could still see her fidget in her chair. The worry was clear on her face. Jeremiah noticed this as well, and wondered what could be plaguing the young girl's mind.

When the Empress's eyes landed on Zero, a weary smile parted her lips. His eyebrows rose within his mask. "Hello, Zero. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

He nodded to her image on the screen. "Indeed it has."

"I suppose I'll get right to the point," she breathed. "Zero, I have been thinking about your proposal since the early hours of the morning, and I can't help but be… concerned about it."

"What is it that concerns you, Your Majesty?"

Tianzi's lips formed a straight line. "It doesn't sit right with me, Zero. You see… Xingke, he…" Her voice wavered, and Zero realized his mistake with a jolt of panic. He knew exactly what she was going to say before the words even left her lips. "He's dead. He died around four months ago now." Her eyes became foggy but she managed to keep herself together. "The sickness that held him finally claimed him."

Zero's fists were clenched tight beneath his cape. Outside of the view of the camera, Jeremiah watched him carefully. "I am deeply sorry for your loss. You must forgive me for bringing up such painful thoughts."

She shook her head. "It's alright, Zero. I know you didn't mean any harm. But I'm confused... I specifically remember you attending the funeral services and offering your condolences."

The masked man swore beneath his breath. He had to scramble to come up with a suitable excuse. "Yes. I certainly recall it now. Again, please forgive me. This past year has been quite hectic, and I'm afraid I don't quite remember all of it. I'm sure the late hour my message was sent is also worthy of some blame. It was nothing but an unfortunate mistake."

"Of course," she grinned. "I was just worried about you when I read your message. I thought surely you knew…"

"You're right. It was an error on my part. I apologize." Then he paused for a moment, hopefully changing the subject. "That being said, Xingke aside, I still wish to confirm that the Chinese Federation will stand beside Britannia and Japan through this time of conflict. I can assure you that this attack from the EU was completely unprovoked, and we are merely working to preserve peace."

Tianzi began nodding vigorously. "Yes, of course! I never doubted that. The Chinese Federation will gladly stand beside you in your decision, Zero. Please tell me if there's anything you need, and if it's within my power, I will do my best to support you."

Zero smiled behind his mask, his anxiety slightly dissipating. "Thank you. I greatly appreciate it."

He and the Chinese Empress spoke for a little while longer, but Zero had already gotten what he wanted: The support of Chinese Federation.

When the conversation ended, he shut off the transmitter and allowed himself to swear out loud. Jeremiah immediately stepped towards him, "I apologize, Your Majesty, but I wasn't aware of this."

"I know, Jeremiah." Zero muttered. "If you had known, you would have certainly informed me. I'm sure the only ones invited to attend the funeral were members of the Britannian and Japanese governments, so there's no way you would hear about it." He curled his hand into another fist. "I'll just have to be more careful. Especially where Tianzi is concerned. I can't have her getting suspicious of me and confiding in people like Kaguya."

Jeremiah raised a brow. "Are the two close?"

"I can't speak for this moment, but yes, they used to be."

"I see," he mused. "That is troublesome."

Zero nodded. "Which is exactly why I must be cautious. I should have asked Suzaku for more information about the previous year, but it's too late now." That, or Suzaku should have made a point to tell him. The death of an ally was important, wasn't it? He didn't even know that Xingke was stricken with an illness. The man's actions never hinted towards his condition at all. He worked as if he was at the peak of health. Very few must've known about it, so his death had to come as a shock to a lot of people.

He could only imagine how devastated Tianzi must have been. Zero had once supported their love, so it was natural for her to be traumatized by it. How strange it must seem to her when Zero suddenly forgets that Li Xingke is dead, even after he attends his funeral. How could he have been so careless?

If Tianzi thought on it for too long, there was no telling what she could come up with. He would have to quell her suspicions. Somehow. If she even had suspicions. He would have to fix this whenever the opportunity presented itself. He would not allow a blunder like this to ruin him. It couldn't.

xx

Princess Cornelia awoke early that morning to hear of some very surprising news.

She was about to start her day, sitting at her desk and enjoying a much needed cup of black tea. She had just lifted the teacup when Guilford appeared in her doorway. He walked with a certain purpose, so she immediately knew that his message was of high importance. She sent a cool breath over the steaming tea, all the while eyeing Guilford from behind the cup.

The knight was all business as usual. He stood at attention across from her desk. Cornelia sipped at her tea. "Princess Cornelia, I have some interesting news."

She placed the cup back onto its saucer with a soft clink. "And what could that be, I wonder?"

"We've received word of a man found drifting in the ocean by a Britannian cargo ship that was bound for the Chinese Federation." Cornelia gave him a look. This was looking like some lengthy exposition. She decided to listen while dropping a few sugar cubes into her teacup. "The crew pulled him from the waters and brought him aboard. The man said that he'd been at sea for two days. He'd suffered a broken arm and leg, along with a few internal injuries." Guilford continued, and she regarded the tale with a short nod of her head. Even Cornelia couldn't deny the man's tenacity to survive. "Now that the ship has reached port, the man insists on speaking with you."

That narrowed the Princess's eyes. "Me? On what grounds?"

"The man was found wearing a pilot's uniform, and he reports to have been forced from his craft while it was still in flight across the ocean."

"That doesn't explain his business with me." She scoffed. "Why am I being bothered with him?"

"He claims the one who ejected him was Prince Schneizel."

Cornelia watched her knight for a few moments, letting the news wash over her. She remained surprisingly calm as she leaned forward to prop her elbows onto the desk. "Really now?"

Guilford nodded. "Yes, and he also claims to know his intended destination."

A small grin sprouted onto the Princess's face. "Well then, now we're getting somewhere." Then her voice took on a more authoritative tone. She spoke while reaching for her tea, "Send out the order. I want to speak to this witness at once."

He bowed respectfully to her. "Yes, Your Highness." Then Guilford turned on his heel and marched from the room, leaving the Princess to finish her morning tea. He could hear her spoon clicking against the sides of the cup just before the door shut behind him. The sound of Cornelia stirring in more sugar.

X

The Britannian administration wasted no time setting up communication between the castaway pilot and Princess Cornelia. No sooner had Cornelia finished her breakfast than she was in another room standing before a large screen. Guilford shooed a handful of officials from the space moments before the transmission came through. The two stood as statues in the darkness of the room, the light from the screens being the only illumination.

The image of a feeble-looking man with his arm in a sling materialized onto the screen. His eyes were weighted with deep, dark circles, and a nasty looking bruise was nestled beneath his chin. His nose was red with sun poisoning.

But despite all of his injuries, the man smiled broadly at the sight of the Princess. He greeted her with a gracious bow. "Good morning, Your Highness."

Cornelia gave a swift nod. "Yes, and the same to you." She tried to sound sympathetic, but she knew that it wasn't her strong suit, so she decided to jump straight to the point. "Now what is this information you have for me?"

"Oh yes. I know you're very busy, Your Highness, so I'll get right to it." He cleared his throat, and his voice took on a more serious tone. "You see, Prince Schneizel came to me five days ago saying that he was travelling to the Euro Universe at the request of Empress Nunnally. While we were in the air he requested to see the flight manual for the aircraft, and I was in no position to refuse him. We were over the ocean when he pulled a gun on me. He ordered me to show him the basic operations of the craft and then he hijacked it. He then opened the door and gave me the choice of being shot or jumping to my death. Obviously, I chose to jump." Cornelia nodded once again. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed. "We were flying relatively low at the time, so there was no major decompression within the aircraft. Impact suits have been standard issue among pilots in unstable Areas for many years now… but I never expected that one would eventually save my life."

He drifted off, and Cornelia decided to take control of the conversation. "Your survival is indeed remarkable, and you will be honored for it, I assure you. But what of Schneizel? You claimed to know where he was headed."

The man's eyes snapped back to the Princess. "Yes, Your Highness," he sputtered. "Some of the instruments he wanted to operate were radar, GPS, and other locater devices. He told me to enter certain coordinates into the machine, which ended up being located in the EU."

She couldn't stop the grin forming on her lips. "Do you happen to remember those coordinates?"

This time the pilot nodded, mimicking Cornelia's grin. "I made a point to not forget them." Reaching off-screen, he brought up a printed map of the island of Great Britain. There was a mark indicating the exact location of the coordinates on the southeastern part of the island. The mark was placed west of the EU capital of London, presumably somewhere in the countryside. "After the crew of the ship patched me up, I went and searched for a better image of the location. This is the best I can do with my resources, Your Highness."

Cornelia narrowed her eyes, studying the map on the screen. "That's quite alright. This is more than enough. I see you have the coordinates written down on the map as well." She turned to her Knight, "Guilford, plug in these numbers."

He answered without looking up from the keys at his fingers. "Already processing, Your Highness."

She was delighted with this turn of events. Finally, a clue on where Schneizel has been, what he's up to, and where he could be going next. She returned her attention to the injured man on the screen. "On behalf of Empress Nunnally, I thank you for your assistance."

"It was nothing, Princess Cornelia. I'm glad I was able to help." The pilot smiled. "Goodbye."

With that, Cornelia ended the conversation and the transmission. She would have to make sure that he was rewarded in some way. Especially after all he's been through.

Guilford tapped busily on the console before him, bringing up a more detailed version of the map the pilot had produced earlier. He zoomed in until he had a clear bird's-eye view of the location. There were strange rock formations scattered on the ground, but nothing he was immediately familiar with. He looked to Cornelia. "Do you recognize this location, Your Highness?"

A grimace came about Cornelia's face. "Unfortunately. I looked into several locations like this while I was researching what happened to Euphie." Her eyes rested on the strange symbol in the middle of the stones, a simplified version of a bird in flight.

"You mean-?"

"Yes," she interrupted, clenching a fist. "Geass." Guilford swallowed thickly. "Send this information to Zero. If anyone will know anything about this, it will be him."

"Right away, Your Highness." He bowed, and quickly flurried from the room.

xx

By mid-morning, the Britannian Headquarters was alive with activity. Soldiers, officials, and interns were flitting about in a frenzy. Everyone from officers to bureaucrats had a job to do. After all, tonight was when the newly-formed Black Knights would stage their counterattack against the EU. And with Zero leading them once again. It felt surreal.

There was a lot of bureaucracy to wade through, as well as means, supplies, communication, and countless other variables to set into place before night fell. The sense of urgency among the staff at Headquarters was palpable. Everyone was rushed. Everyone was scrambling. Everything had to be done.

And while all of this was going on, Zero appeared out-of-place as he calmly strode through the halls. He made his way casually to wherever he was going with a large box in his arms. The mask on his face concealed his anticipative grin. He was certainly pleased with himself. Everything was falling into place just as he hoped it would. Now, besides officially gathering the members of the Black Knights, there was only one thing left to do. One last thing he had to take care of.

The contents of the box jostled a bit as he walked. He came to a certain familiar door and entered without so much as a knock. The nameless foot soldier whipped around to face him, panic seizing him for a moment. However, he released a breath when he noticed that it was only Zero.

"Could you at least knock, or announce yourself first?" The soldier grumbled.

Zero turned and made sure the door was locked behind him. "It's trivial," he stated, and the soldier shrugged. "Here, put this on." Zero presented him with the box, which he hesitatingly accepted.

"What is it?"

"It's you." He smirked behind his mask. The soldier didn't respond. "Due to the circumstances, you've now fallen to my level, Suzaku. You must hide your face." Zero watched the soldier clench his jaw. It was the only part of him the helmet didn't cover. He gestured towards the box. "You'll find most of this rather familiar."

It took a few moments for the soldier to actually open the box that was now in his hands. He found a white helmet, much nicer than the one he was currently wearing, on top of a jumpsuit of a similar hue. A white reflective visor was attached to the front of the helmet. However, the jumpsuit wasn't completely white. There were several lines and accents of gold, blue and green. The soldier immediately recognized them as the colours on the Lancelot. Folded inside the helmet was a white nylon facemask, identical to the one Zero wore beneath his own mask, although it was a different colour. The soldier carefully brought the clothing into his hands, stealing a glance at Zero. "This is…"

"Your new self," he finished. The soldier went back to the contents of the box. Then Zero's expression turned thoughtful, almost solemn, though the other had no way of knowing that. His voice became soft. "From now on, you are no longer allowed to say that you have no purpose."

The soldier tightened his grip on the jumpsuit. He felt disgusted with himself for relying on Lelouch's ploys and guidance like this.

But mostly it was because he wanted to thank him. Deep down inside himself, he felt a warm flicker of gratitude, and that bothered him more than anything else. He was wavering. What did that mean about his values? Were the most important things to him being stricken down by something so trifling? Feeling grateful towards Lelouch… it was absurd. He didn't deserve it. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

Zero noticed that the soldier was silent for a long time. He let out a patient breath and went to the door. "Hurry and change. We have a meeting to attend."

That snapped the soldier out of his thoughts. "A meeting?"

"Yes," Zero answered. "With Lloyd."

X

Sitting in his laboratory, Lloyd stared up at the Lancelot as it towered idly over him. With a sigh, he rearranged the glasses on his face and groaned: "I'm sorry, Lancelot. Although it's been an entire year without any sort of conflict, when the time finally arose you still weren't able to get into the action." The giant mecha didn't respond, not that he expected it to. "What a pity that we lost Kururugi in the Great War. He was probably the best pilot I'll ever have for you."

Another sigh left his body. It truly was a pity that he and Cecile had gone through the painstaking measures to rebuild the Lancelot- all so it could sit and gather dust. Zero had said that he'd look into finding a suitable pilot, but Lloyd doubted that he'd meant it. And Rakshata certainly wasn't giving up Kallen any time soon. Kallen probably wouldn't abandon her Guren either, since it was what she was used to.

Lloyd would just have to find another pilot himself, wouldn't he? How was it he found Suzaku again? Suzaku had trained as a foot soldier with the Lancelot Simulator. He had the highest percentile that Lloyd had ever seen, so he set his sights on him.

It was too bad Zero himself couldn't pilot it, but maybe that was a bit too obvious.

Just as Lloyd was contemplating a design for the new Simulator, the door to his lab opened. He turned to face the guest just as they said his name. "Lloyd, I believe I have news that will please you." The masked man's voice seemed odd, Lloyd thought. Deeper somehow. Not to mention that he usually refrained from speaking, but Lloyd was too eager to be stuck on it.

"Oh, Zero!" Lloyd waved as he sprang down the steps to ground level, "I can only hope it will. What is it?"

"I have located a pilot worthy of your Knightmare." Zero spoke matter-of-factly.

Lloyd's face fell, "Why, I was just thinking of that! Who's the lucky soul?" He clasped his hands together and began excitedly looking around, as if the new pilot had been hiding in his lab the entire time.

Zero turned so his profile was facing Lloyd, and then another person entered the threshold. They were just a bit shorter than Zero, and already dressed in a modified version of the white Lancelot jumpsuit. A sleek and angular helmet was on his head with a matching visor blocking his eyes. The helmet was secured to his skull with a chinstrap. All of them were coloured white. The man seemed physically fit and walked with a strange confidence. He wasn't wearing his facemask, so the only part of him Lloyd could see was his mouth, which was set firm with dread. A frown pulled his lips down. It was a familiar-looking expression.

"And what is this exceptional pilot's name?" Lloyd asked.

Zero returned his attention to Lloyd. "It's best for his identity to not be disclosed at this point in time, but you have my word for his capabilities."

Lloyd looked skeptical. "Then what shall I call him?"

"He shall be known simply as the White Knight, and he is perfectly suitable for your cause." Zero explained, while the man in question nodded silently.

"The White Knight?" Lloyd echoed, "That's rather ironic. Playing with both sides of the board now are we, Zero?" A smirk pulled on his lips.

Inside the mask, Zero mimicked his smirk. "I suppose I am."

Then Lloyd leaned over to address the stranger in white. "So, Mr. Knight, we'll see if you can stand up to Kururugi, eh?"

"I'm afraid that will have to wait." Zero interjected. "There are still some other matters we have to attend to. You will have to formally inspect him on the battlefield." With that, Zero turned on his heel to walk away, the White Knight following behind him.

Lloyd worriedly stepped after them. "The battlefield? But what if something happens to the Lancelot?" He held his hands out, pleading. If the Lancelot incurred some damage after he'd just rebuilt it… he didn't know if he'd be able to take it.

Zero looked over his shoulder and spoke assuredly. "Don't worry. That won't happen."

Lloyd only huffed. "If you say so. I'm putting my precious Lancelot in your hands, Mr. Knight."

The stranger simply turned his head as well and nodded a second time. He and Zero left without a word to say for himself.

As they left Lloyd to his thoughts, the man in white visibly relaxed. He looked to Zero, who was walking as straight and statuesque as ever. "Are you sure about this? I mean, aren't we cutting it a bit close?"

Zero hummed a laugh, "That's just a myth. There's no such thing as 'cutting it too close'. You either go too far, or you don't. When you step close to the line there's nothing warning anyone that you have. Only you know of the line in which you don't want to cross, and once you start tiptoeing around it others will realize it. Hiding in plain sight at this point is truly the best strategy."

The White Knight slumped his shoulders, "Well, when you say it like that…"

"Don't bother yourself with it." Zero muttered, "I have everything under control."

He put on a plastic grin, "Why should now be any different?"

xx

**Author's Notes— **It's been far too long, folks. This semester has been absolutely crazy. This chapter sat half-done on my flash drive for a few months as well, so please forgive me.

On a lighter note: I love writing dialogue between Lelouch and C.C., their dynamic is just so smooth. Much unlike dialogue between him and Suzaku, which is a rapid rollercoaster ride covered with twists and turns. And surprisingly enough, I adore writing them both the same.

In the next chapter we finally get to the counterattack! It's taken a lot of planning to get here, and this chapter is dense with information. Maybe that's why it feels so… lumbering. It just doesn't seem to flow very well to me. Oh well.

Hah. "The White Knight," how cheesy. Next thing you know, he'll start talking backwards!

**Long Author's Notes are long,**

_**-Destiny**_

(EDIT: A few weeks after posting this chapter, I read that the actual capital of the EU is Paris, not London. Whoopsies. Let's just pretend that's canon, kay? I won't tell anyone if you don't.)**  
**


	19. Eighteenth Pass

**Chapter Eighteen**

"That is our situation at present. You'll have to excuse me for rushing the matter, but we are pressed for time, as you can see. And so, Sir Weinberg, can I count on your support?" Zero extended a gloved hand towards the Knight, his head craned back to view the taller man's reactions. Gino regarded him with an unreadable expression, his hand covering his mouth in thought. It seemed like an exaggeration. His serious face betrayed the boisterous, happy-go-lucky personality everyone knew he possessed. Across the conference room, Anya eyed him from behind her mobile device.

Then, finally, Gino broke into a laugh. "I guess I can't argue with that!" he boomed, slapping his hand into Zero's in a violent shake. It took all Zero had to keep himself from toppling over, let alone have his entire body thrown around by one handshake. Gino certainly was a formidable person. At least, he would be if were the strong and silent type. Fortunately for most, he was the complete opposite.

Gino noticed that he'd thrown Zero off-balance and released the masked man from his grip. He put his hand behind his head and smiled sheepishly, "It'll give me something to occupy myself with. I think I need a break, to tell you the truth."

Zero flexed his abused hand beneath his cape. "I had heard that you were already in Japan when the call to arms was sent. Might I ask why?"

"A lot more polite than usual, I see." Gino chuckled, causing Lelouch to lift an eyebrow. "But you know, just looking for something…" Then a more solemn expression came over the Knight's face. "It's looking like a lost cause, though."

Zero stood back in the silence for a moment. He saw Anya pocket her phone and stare Gino down. She wasn't planning on intimidating him, it seemed, but she was awfully determined about something. Zero brought his attention back to the towering Knight before him. "In that case, Sir Weinberg, I thank you for your assistance. If there is anything I can do to help you in your search, please let me know."

Gino nodded, "Sure thing, Boss."

Zero took the strange nickname in stride, as if he was expecting it. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a few more preparations to finalize before tonight." The masked man nodded to the two young Knights and quickly left the room with a slight flourish of his cape.

He wasn't gone five seconds before Anya leaned towards Gino with her hands upon the table. "Zero may be too polite to ask, but I am not. Looking for what, exactly?"

Another smile pulled at his lips, and he beamed down at the girl half his size. "I knew I couldn't hide anything from you. But I don't think Zero's too polite, it's just that he doesn't care!" he laughed. Anya didn't budge. "Well, you know… It's not really _what_ I'm looking for, but _who_ I'm looking for…"

The girl raised a pink brow, "You're looking for _someone_?"

"Indeed I am," he breathed. "She— … She's Japanese, which is why I was in Japan already." Anya's eyes widened a bit, but she didn't say a word. "Her name is Haruko, and she was a maid at my family's estate when I was younger. I haven't seen her since I was fourteen."

Anya's face didn't reveal anything. Gino wondered if he should change the subject or continue to elaborate. But then: "Fair enough." The girl shrugged, pulling her cell phone from her pocket once again. "I guess I'll help you find her."

Gino's smile grew astronomically as he scooped the young knight into his arms to spin her around the room. "Thank you, Anya! You're a great friend! Truly!"

Anya, however, was not amused. Her expression remained flat, staring into the screen of her phone. "Do you know her family name?"

That made him stop in his tracks. There was a short moment of silence before he gave an uneasy laugh. "No, not really."

Anya only sighed.

xx

Understandably, the research and development of Knightmare Frames was all but halted during the past year of peacetime. There were no wars to fight, so there was no need to create bigger and better weaponry. Very few machines were built in order to replenish dwindling armies, but nothing that could be seen as a threat. This was especially true in Britannia. They certainly had to tread lightly after the reign of the Demon Emperor. The once-great nation currently had enough Knightmare Frames to outfit one-sixth of their total military forces, which, after the postbellum downsizing, was roughly one-tenth the amount previously held by Britannia at the start of the Demon Emperor's reign. This is, of course, not taking into account other mechanisms of war. The Avalon, for instance, was rebuilt after the Global Revolution and is now used quite often as transport by various personnel.

Several laboratories and engineers that once worked exclusively in Knightmare Frames now researched ways to integrate that technology into everyday life. Progress was being made in all sorts of directions. One of the most successful experiments involved the use of Float Unit and Air Glide technology in public transport.

However, those that once stood at the cutting edge of Knightmare Frame technology often found it difficult to redirect their focus. The defunct Project Camelot, now known simply as the Engineering Corps, is a perfect example of this difficulty. Although independent, the Engineering Corps was now the only group connected to the Britannian government that still researched and developed new Knightmare Frames and their corresponding technologies. They were able to get away with this because the majority of their funds were provided by private sponsors—the most generous of which would be the veteran Knight and Lord Jeremiah Gottwald.

This simple fact explains why the man was currently sitting within a customized and upgraded Vincent Ward model that had been salvaged after the fall of Lelouch's empire. With Jeremiah's funding, Lloyd, Cecile, and Rakshata were able to outfit the machine with the latest technological advances, such as Cecile's Energy Wings. The body of the machine had been painted bright orange, as per Jeremiah's request, while the energy wings—if the calculations were correct—shone a vibrant green. Many pieces on the Frame were accented gold or even a rust-like colour, which lead Cecile to believe that it must be the ugliest machine in existence.

Despite this, Jeremiah appeared pleased with the group's handiwork. He studied the inside of his new device with a careful eye. It would be the first Knightmare he'd piloted in many years that wasn't developed from the Sutherland. Vincent models were simplified and mass-produced versions of the Lancelot, so the hardware was quite different. Jeremiah had to be ready to operate this machine within a few hours, and then be prepared for battle the following morning. It was a hefty task, but he took it in stride. After all, he fancied himself quite the pilot, if he did say so himself. He may not be able to go toe-to-toe with prodigies like Kururugi or Kouzuki, but he'd held his own against many a foe in his day.

Jeremiah chuckled within the cockpit. He sounded like a nostalgic old man. This was no time to be proudly reminiscing about his past accomplishments. He had future accomplishments to take care of.

He could hear the scientist named Lloyd babbling from the laboratory floor, but to be completely honest, he wasn't paying much attention to him.

This didn't seem to deter the man, though, as he continued speaking. "… now one of only three pilots in the world to have access to such advanced technology. Yes, those wonderful Energy Wings are the pride of our very own Cecile!" He twirled around in his excitement. Cecile, on the other hand, looked mortified. "Truly the cusp of modern technology, don't you think? And when equipped to my Lancelot—why, it's as if the future has taken to the sky!"

"You forget that my Guren Mk II that had those Energy Wings first." Rakshata added from her seat upon the observation deck. She twirled her pipe in her fingers with a disinterested look about her. She'd spoken up mostly to keep Lloyd from further gloating.

The scientist put on a scowl. "That was not my doing, nor my intention," then he shrugged. "We only wanted to test them out on some scrap before installing them onto more valuable machinery."

Rakshata lurched forward in her chair, glaring down at the man. "How _dare_ you speak of my Guren that way! To call such a beautiful creature something like— _scrap_ is nothing short of blasphemy!"

Cecile held up her hands. A weak smile was playing on her lips, as if she knew her interference was useless. "Now, now…"

Unfortunately, Lloyd was completely inept at reading the atmosphere. "That machine was nothing but scrap when we placed those wings on it. It was enemy technology just waiting to be dissected, or a guinea pig for potentially dangerous tests. It didn't have a pilot, after all, and a Knightmare without a pilot might as well be scrap metal."

The Indian woman put on a wicked grin. "Is that so?" She pressed, taking a long drag from her pipe and expelling the smoke above her head. "Then I suppose your precious Lancelot will be sold for parts sometime soon, what with its lack of a pilot and everything."

Lloyd narrowed his eyes at her. "That might have been true. However, a recent visit from Zero proves otherwise. My Lancelot is no longer an idle machine, but fully operational—pilot included!"

This news brought everyone in the room to attention, including the ever-occupied Jeremiah.

Jeremiah knew full well who the new pilot was, but there was a bigger question weighing on his mind: Would these scientists be able to figure it out? He searched through his mind to organize all the information they were aware of. To find all of the pieces he knew they had at their disposal. Could all of those pieces make a coherent picture? There was no telling.

Cecile was the first to ask the daunting question: "Who? Who is it?"

Lloyd begrudgingly raised his shoulders. "I wish I knew."

"What?" Rakshata scoffed. "How can you say you have a pilot then?"

"Why, because I've met him, of course!" Lloyd beamed.

Cecile shot him a look. "Elaborate, please?"

"Well, if I had to describe the man, I'd say he was Zero's total opposite." He crossed his arms over his chest and turned to the ceiling. The fluorescent lights reflected on his glasses. "A white knight, so to speak, and not just metaphorically. Zero has so graciously informed me that our masked operator will remain anonymous. Referred to only by his codename: The White Knight."

Rakshata remained unimpressed. Meanwhile, Cecile was biting her lip. "That sounds… odd," she started. "Do you know anything of his ability?"

The scientist released a great sigh. "Unfortunately not. Zero gave me nothing but his word. He must be capable then, I suppose."

"I certainly hope so." She added, but something was still bothering her. Something wasn't… normal. "Any ideas on who it may be?"

That's when a sly grin appeared upon Lloyd's face. He gave Jeremiah a sidelong glance and answered, not subdued in the slightest. "I have my theories."

xx

Lelouch returned to Zero's Chambers around lunchtime, where he knew C.C. would have a freshly baked pizza in her midst. Luckily for him, his assumptions were right on the mark. She was in the same place he'd left her this morning—lounging across the bed. Although instead of a magazine, a large pizza of various toppings lay before her. As he strolled into the room, he removed the mask from his face and plucked a slice from the platter without so much as a glance.

C.C. scowled at him from behind her own slice, "For royalty, you have no manners."

Her voice was muffled a bit from her previous bite, which Lelouch noticed with a scoff. "Coming from the witch that's currently speaking with her mouth full." He took a bite of the slice in his hand and the hot cheese burned into the roof of his mouth.

"Hundreds of years can lead one to lose track of that sort of thing," she mused.

Lelouch waited until he finished the slice of pizza before jumping into his next topic. It didn't take very long. "Listen, C.C. I have a serious proposition for you." It felt strange to suddenly spring such a thing on her, but she'd insisted he get rid of his dramatic segues. If anything, it was saving him the trouble of coming up with them.

C.C. put on a sly little grin. "My, asking for my hand already?"

Lelouch ignored her. "Consider this a failsafe. But in the event of a… catastrophic failure—"

"Are you saying you're going to bring about a catastrophic failure?" Her grin didn't fade at all. Lelouch sighed a bit.

"I'm saying it's in the realm of possibility," he admitted.

"So you're suddenly a realist, then?"

He clenched his teeth. "Despite what you may think, I work within the realm of realism. And if something goes wrong, and all of my safety nets have been burned, there's something I want you to do. As an absolute last resort."

C.C. splayed herself across the bed with a huff, reaching to grab another slice of pizza. "You know better than to expect too much of me."

He gave another scoff. "I know all-too well, but just in case. If all-else fails and I find myself in a corner," he paused. Surprisingly, C.C. watched him expectantly. "I want you to use your abilities to right the situation."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "My condition is not something I flaunt."

"You misunderstand," he sighed, slowly pulling his gloves from his hands. "You have the power to bestow Geass upon a person, and what secret weapon is better than one even I don't know?"

C.C watched as a smirk crept onto his face, but nothing appeared on hers. She chewed on her last bite of pizza crust with an unreadable expression. Lelouch was too busy fiddling with his gloves to pay her reaction much attention. She wasn't sure if she wanted to be angry that he thought he could just use her like one of his pawns, or happy that he was actually considering her abilities in his plans. All she'd ever done before was stand on the sidelines as an observer. And when she thought about it, she preferred it that way. Lelouch was the vigorous one. She was too passive for something like jumping into the fray. She'd done it once before for him, but…

It wasn't like she was sitting around waiting to die anymore. It was Lelouch that had pulled her out of that lifestyle in the first place. She was engaged in her surroundings.

But right now, she was just along for the ride. That's all.

And besides, living vicariously through him had proven very entertaining thus far.

"You expect me to create a contract with one of your little friends on the spur of the moment because you miscalculated?" Her voice was sharp. Lelouch gave her a sidelong glance. She was frowning. "You have a bit more gall than I remember, Demon Emperor."

He chuckled. "I expect no such thing. I'm simply planting the idea in your mind in case the need should arise."

She kept her face flat. "Psychological manipulations will get you nowhere. I can see through you without your explanations."

He hummed a laugh, tilting his head a bit. "Can you?"

Her only response was grabbing another slice of pizza and stuffing it into her mouth. Lelouch didn't pay her any mind. In fact, he was preoccupied with his hands. He was staring down at them with a frown on his lips. The next thing C.C. knew, he was grabbing his things and darting through the door. His last words to her were still ringing in the air. She swallowed her bite of pizza and released a heavy breath, her eyes drifting to the ceiling.

"I wonder."

X

Lelouch retreated to the next room without another word to C.C. That was suspicious, he realized, but he doubted that she'd read much into it. It would be better than piquing her curiosity with something menial like this. Or perhaps, it wasn't menial at all. He worried that this was some terrible omen… But, if it was anything at all, it was a clue into the mechanisms of his situation. He could at least look on the bright side.

He swallowed thickly, rubbing his fingers across this thumb. His eyes were fixated on his left hand, on the thumb he'd stabbed with his tie tack less than six hours ago. It had drawn blood back then, but now there was nothing there. His anxiousness had gotten the better of him, and he'd ran from the room before C.C. could question his sharp change in behavior. Despite this, he was still at a loss. What on earth could this mean?

There was no trace of the wound at all. The pad of his thumb was smooth and free of blemishes. He could see the unhindered swirls of his fingerprints. It was… impossible. Even for such a small prick, there should have been a tiny red spot, or a bead of blood trapped beneath layers of skin. Instead there was nothing. That only spurred a million questions in his mind. Questions that he had no answers to.

Was it really so small an injury that it could heal so quickly? No, he was in no position to believe that this was a coincidence. The most improbable answer was more than likely the correct one. In that case, why did he possess superhuman healing capabilities? It was almost like C.C…

He shook his head. No. C.C. already said that he didn't have a Code. She even double-checked. Besides, he wouldn't be able to wield Geass if he had one. So why…? Was it the same at all? Maybe he could use some kind of test in order to find out…

He didn't have time to sit and hypothesize. The quickest way to get an answer would be to act. And so, he slipped on his gloves and mask and ventured out into the hall. The kitchen wasn't too far away.

After a short walk, he entered the kitchen and the heat of the place slammed into him like a wall. He grit his teeth beneath the mask. The Zero costume was not very accommodating when it came to warm climates. Luckily for him, however, most of the cooking staff was too busy cleaning up from Lunch Service to pay him any attention. It took little effort to slip a paring knife from a nearby block, hide it within his cape, and exit back into the cool air of the corridor.

This test certainly wasn't something he could perform out in the open for the world to see, and he definitely wouldn't go back to his chambers with C.C.'s prying eyes. He thought of the many conference rooms about Headquarters, but they were all occupied with meetings for the coming operation. He let out a sigh, dread filling him once more. He really didn't want to go this route… but, if anything, that person would enjoy it.

X

The White Knight was spending the last hours before the operation rather leisurely. After all, he didn't have anything to do but wait.

An unopened book lay across the bed of his room next to his sleek white helmet. He'd locked the door so he could at least spend time alone without being smothered by that thing. In the end, he'd thrown it across the room and watched it land next to a book he had no intention of reading. He wasn't much for reading for pleasure anyway.

Instead, he'd passed the time by stretching his muscles as if he were an athlete preparing for a big game. He didn't want to keep still, or rather, he couldn't. His lunch of cup noodles was sitting heavily on his stomach for some reason. Could it be nervousness? No, that wasn't it. He was fairly calm at the moment. But there was something eating at him. He just couldn't place it. He was aggravated with it all.

He reached his arm across his chest to stretch his shoulders, hoping to pull some tension from them. It wasn't working very well.

He did the same to the other arm and let out a long sigh. He was unsure about his situation. Maybe that's what's been bothering him lately. Lelouch being alive and reclaiming the role of Zero… It had to be a dream, right? Or maybe a nightmare?

And then there are times… when he looks at Lelouch, it doesn't seem real at all. Sometimes he's so hard to see.

Suzaku clenched his eyes shut. They stung just from the thought of it.

But whatever. He'd go along with this dream until he could figure out how to unravel it. That was the only thing he could think to do, anyway. What else _was_ there to do, in his position?

His thoughts were interrupted by a thump at the door, but he didn't even turn to look. A smirk pulled at his lips. He could imagine Zero, standing out in the hall, amazed that he'd have the gall to lock the door on him. Suzaku would be lying if he said he wasn't pleased by this.

But the feeling was short-lived, and the smirk vanished from his face as soon as he heard the door slide open with a beep. He whipped around to face the intruder with wide green eyes. "How-?"

Entering the room, Zero flashed a keycard in his direction before returning it to his coat pocket. The door shut and locked itself behind him. "I had a Master Key made. You didn't think you could create a barricade that easily, did you?"

Suzaku could tell from his tone that he was grinning at him behind the mask. "I was hoping." That was when he noticed the other item in Zero's hand, and he took an instinctive step back. "A knife?"

"Don't worry. It's not intended for you." Zero muttered, removing the mask and cape and flinging them haphazardly next to Suzaku's helmet and book. He ignored Suzaku's inquisitive glances and rolled up his sleeve. Suzaku sputtered more questions, but he didn't listen to him. His hand tightly gripped the handle of the chef's knife. "It's an experiment," he explained, and lightly dragged the blade across the top of his exposed arm—cutting just deep enough to slice the skin. Suzaku stood dumbfounded a short distance away, making no moves to stop him at all.

Lelouch winced a bit as his skin parted and a trickle of blood poured forth. He made sure to cut the top of his forearm and nowhere near deep enough to cause any real damage. He'd just made a scratch, at best.

Suzaku swallowed. He still didn't move. "What… are you doing?"

"I told you," he never took his eyes off of the cut, "an experiment."

Suzaku simply watched him. So he was a lunatic after all. Not that Suzaku was shocked. Lelouch stood there, studying the cut he'd just given himself. Suzaku could only guess what all of this was about. He figured it had something to do with Lelouch not being dead. Minutes ticked by.

Lelouch wasn't moving, and soon Suzaku found himself staring at the wound as well. It wasn't bleeding very much, but it was still there. He'd probably need a bandage for it, since it didn't look deep enough to require stitches.

Then Suzaku's eyes were burning. One moment, he was looking at Lelouch's cut, and the next, his vision was a blurry mess. He brought his hands to his face. There was a stinging in the backs of his eyes and that strange, aggravated feeling came creeping back. He blinked furiously as tears gathered in his eyelashes.

Lelouch wasn't paying him any attention at all. While Suzaku was dealing with his own dilemma, he watched something impossible happen. "It's stopped bleeding," he murmured.

Suzaku looked up. He couldn't see Lelouch clearly. It wasn't unlike staring into the sun, except there was no light. It hurt to look at him. "What?"

Lelouch ran his hand along the length of the cut, wiping off the blood. The cut itself hadn't closed up yet, but it had indeed stopped bleeding. It'd stopped instantaneously. It was impossible. "At this rate, in another five minutes, it will be as if I'd never used this knife." Lelouch kept a sharp gaze on the wound, as if he could see his own skin being stitched back together bit by bit. Cell by cell.

Suzaku was still blinking away some of the tears. The stinging had lessened, but it was still there. It made him squint. "What does this mean?" He mumbled. He had to ask. He couldn't help himself. Did Lelouch simply have incredible healing abilities, or was he completely immortal? Had he somehow become like C.C? If so, why did it take a year for him to recover from being ran through with a sword? Suzaku knew if he was asking these questions to himself, they had to be weighing heavily on Lelouch's mind as well. Had he gotten his answer or…?

But Lelouch merely rolled his sleeve back down and went to replace his cape and mask. He calmly laid the knife on Suzaku's nightstand. There was nothing in his posture to suggest anything. "Be sure to return that to the kitchen soon. I'm sure they'll need it by Dinner Service." And then he turned and left the room, completely ignoring the previous question.

Suzaku narrowed his still-wet eyes at the closing door. He had a bad taste in his mouth.

xx

"As I understand it, Lord Jeremiah," Empress Nunnally began, smoothing her hands over the skirt in her lap, "at dusk this evening you, Zero, and his Neo-Black Knights—as Cornelia calls them—will set out to the Southern Island Regions of Japan with all intent to issue a counterstrike against the EU regiment that attempted to assassinate me."

Jeremiah bowed his head. "That is correct, Your Majesty." They were alone in the conference room of the Embassy on account of the Empress still being under lockdown. She hoped that would be changing soon.

"And you will use Knightmare Frames to achieve this goal?" She asked, a glint of concern slipping into her voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Jeremiah admitted. "Zero feels they are an indispensable component of his strategy."

The Empress pressed her lips. "I have been briefed on his plans, and while I do not claim to be a strategist the likes of my late brother, I have to say that it seems a bit far-fetched."

"Of course, for that is Zero's signature," he chuckled.

"Making the impossible happen," she mumbled. "Miracles, you mean?"

His shoulders raised the slightest bit. A knowing smile was resting on his lips. "Only to certain eyes, Your Majesty."

"Yes, well… I will trust in Zero, as I always have." She decided. Zero had never failed her before, after all. She didn't feel confident questioning his methods just yet. "However," she added, forcing Jeremiah's grin to falter, "Cornelia has requested to accompany you on this mission, and I see no reason to deny her."

It took a moment for Jeremiah to respond, but his words were quite convincing. "By all means. I'm sure Princess Cornelia will make delightful company."

"As well as observing," Nunnally pointed out. "She still feels wary of Zero. So, while providing necessary support, should it be so, and acting as my eyes while I continue to be on lockdown," her tone turned heated as she spoke of it, "I will grant her the authority to accompany the Neo-Black Knights on their excursion to the Island Regions."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Jeremiah bowed again, deeper this time.

"Cornelia will be the only person in the company outside of Zero's command. I've given her specific instructions not to step in unless absolutely necessary. She should stay on the sidelines for most of the mission, if all goes as planned." She released a breath. "That's all I wished to say, Jeremiah. You may go finish preparing."

He bowed a third time and did a quick about-face. There was still so much to prepare before they departed in a few hours' time. He still had to go meet with Zero and the other heads-of-squad to brief the regulars and hammer out some last-minute details. Not to mention making a courteous visit to General Tohdoh and—

"Jeremiah," Nunnally's voice was small as it called out to him. He was inches away from the door when he turned back to face her. Her hands were fiddling with the fabric of her skirt, but her large, quivering eyes were fixed upon him. "Make sure that everyone returns. In other words… be careful."

He showed her his best gentleman's smile and bowed one last time with all of his heart. "Yes, Your Majesty."

xx

Rivalz tossed the bottle of vodka over his head with surprising grace. Milly watched him with a grin as he reached behind his back and caught it by the neck. Her blue eyes widened along with his smile and she propped her chin and elbow onto the dark wood of the bar between them. With a twirl, Rivalz emptied a bit of the clear spirit into Milly's glass. It mingled with the ice cubes and short black straw that were already there.

The bar was rather small, since it was located in a parlor on the first basement floor of the Britannian Headquarters, but it was remarkably well-stocked for its size. Rivalz supposed it was so the staff could always create whatever cocktail any politician or visitor could desire. There were some spirits here he'd merely heard of, and even a few he'd never imagined before.

He and Milly just-so-happened to stumble across this place around lunch and decided to utilize it. There was no one else around, and Rivalz was a licensed bartender, after all. It's not like they had anything better to do until later anyway. They'd sat in here and talked for a few hours before Milly had even decided that she wanted anything.

Rivalz set the vodka bottle down and turned his back to Milly. He searched the wall of shelves that stood behind the bar, decorated with a multitude of bottles of various shapes, sizes, and colours. After a moment, he closed his fingers around a tall white bottle and tossed it into the air as well. He performed a quick pirouette and, now facing outward once again, snatched at the falling bottle. Unfortunately, he missed the short neck and instead grabbed clumsily at the body. He struggled with it for a second before finally gaining a firm grip. Milly giggled as he nervously dumped a little of the peachy liquid into the glass with the vodka.

"It's a work in-progress," he admitted, his face turning slightly red.

Milly continued giggling at him. "Well, it's very impressive either way."

That brought another smile to his face, and he reached under the bar to retrieve some fruit juices from the small refrigerator. After adding the juices, he gave the drink a quick stir with the straw and stuck a lime wheel neatly onto the lip of the glass. "A Sex on the Beach for the lady," he announced, placing the completed drink in front of Milly.

"Thank you," she lifted the glass in a sort of toast and took a sip. "Very nice, Mr. Barkeep. Won't you have something too?"

Rivalz shook his head. "Nah. Never drink on the job."

Milly smirked, "That's bar-talk for 'I have a low tolerance.'"

He hunched his shoulders a little but didn't stop grinning. "Come on, Pres… Have more faith in me than that, will ya?"

"Not on your life," she chuckled, taking a longer draught on her straw. "Ah, this is what I needed. With all that's been going on lately, you know?"

"Definitely," he nodded. "And we've willingly jumped right into the middle of it, huh?"

"Of course," she laughed once, holding her glass up once more. There was a short silence as Rivalz watched Milly take another solemn sip.

His tone darkened a little. "… Do you regret it?"

Milly could've choked on her drink. She sputtered almost immediately: "Of course not! I wouldn't change a thing of what we've done so far. We promised Le-" she stopped short and glanced over her shoulder. When she continued, her voice was more subdued. "We promised Lelouch that we were on his side—that he'd never have to sacrifice anything again. How could I turn my back on that because of my own anxieties?"

Rivalz seemed satisfied with her answer and gave a hefty nod. "That's how I feel too."

She returned his nod. "He needs us a lot more than he lets on." Then she murmured, more to herself than anything, "Silly Lelouch, always ostracizing himself from everything he needs most."

"Trying to abandon weakness is itself a weakness, huh?" he mused, overhearing her.

"How philosophical of you, Rivalz. I didn't know you had it in you."

He chuckled, "What can I say? Lelouch has rubbed off on me." Milly showed him a soft smile and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Okay, not very much, but you know…" She didn't do anything but take another sip of her drink. "Besides, we've already received our instructions, it would just be rude to back out now, don't you think?"

"That it would," she added, taking one last, quick drink from her straw. She placed the glass onto the bar, now empty for everything but the remaining ice cubes. "That reminds me… what exactly is it you're doing during this operation?"

"Sorry, Pres," Rivalz answered immediately, bringing a finger to his lips. "I promised Zero I'd keep quiet about it, even to you."

Milly remained unimpressed. "Your words say you regret it, but that's not stopping that mischievous glint in your eyes!"

"You'll just have to wait!" he grinned.

Milly raised an eyebrow at him. She hated having secrets kept from her, and he knew it. Her voice rose, "Oh, will I?"

"Well, look at that!" he exclaimed, pointing to the watch on his wrist. "I've got to go meet with Le—I mean, Zero! We'll be heading out in three hours! Maybe I'll see you!" And with that, he moved out from behind the bar and towards the door.

"Hold it," she started, but he was gone before her fingers could grab ahold of the back of his collar. "Oh well." She sighed to herself, frowning down at the glistening ice cubes in her empty glass.

Rivalz sighed in the solitude of the corridor. Truthfully, he didn't have to meet with Lelouch for another half hour, but it was much easier to keep secrets from Milly when she wasn't around. Lelouch had sworn him to secrecy and he wasn't about to go betraying it. To be fair, Lelouch hadn't exactly told him everything he'd be doing tonight, but enough for him to be excited about it.

Too bad he wasn't very good at hiding things from Milly. It wasn't that he couldn't keep secrets, in fact he was very skilled in that, but there was something about Milly… She always knew how to unearth him. It was best that he kept away from her now that she knew he was hiding something.

And so, he had thirty minutes to kill. Where would he even begin?

xx

"Is everything prepared?" Zero asked, looking towards Jeremiah, who gave a salute instead of his traditional bow.

"Yes, Sir." He continued with is report while turning his attention to the various people, Knightmares, and other vehicles around the hangar. They were set to depart in half an hour. "As expected, Her Majesty has granted us use of the Avalon in order to proceed with our task. We also have use of a Logres-class airship leftover from the Great War. Princess Cornelia is already situated inside the former. These ships should provide ample room for our supplies, Knightmares, and soldiers." Zero nodded and let his eyes pass over their surroundings as well. Jeremiah lowered his voice a bit. "However, we've only been permitted a fraction of the Knightmare Frames we requested. The current numbers will outfit half of the regular infantry and three-quarters of the Special Units."

Zero didn't even shrug. "I expected as much. It's never wise to ask for what you need in negotiations like these. Asking for excess is usually the best course of action. Those numbers aren't dire, in any case." The new Guren was being carefully loaded onto the Avalon, and Zero watched with mild interest. "I take it we have the Engineering Corp's Knightmares within our grasp?"

"Of course. Both the Lancelot and Guren are in their respective places aboard the Avalon." He motioned needlessly to the red Knightmare that Zero was already aware of. "And I'm afraid the Engineering Corps has insisted that they come along with us."

Zero glanced back to Jeremiah. "Why is that?"

"They wish to be present in case of emergency, as well as gathering data." Jeremiah doubted the truth of those excuses even as he said them.

Zero seemed to doubt them as well, as he pondered them for a few moments before answering: "Let them come. I see no harm in it."

"Yes, Sir." With that, he brought his hand up in another salute and moved to leave, but the approach of a familiar face kept him from it.

Kallen strolled towards the two men with a disgruntled frown on her lips. She didn't bother with formalities as she addressed them. "I don't know what we're taking the Lancelot for. There's no pilot for it or anything," she trailed off, expecting Zero to agree with her—or at least give an adequate reason—but he remained silent. Her eyes went up to him curiously. With the mask on his face, she couldn't tell if he was looking at her or not. "… is there?"

He smirked behind his mask, but his voice was level. "You will see for yourself in due time, Kallen."

"I'm getting awfully tired of riddles, Zero." She warned.

"I'm well aware," he answered nonchalantly. Her glares didn't bother him in the slightest. In fact, he sounded as if he was rather enjoying himself, but then something across the room captured his attention. He laughed through his nose. "But it seems that 'due time' is even sooner than I expected."

Kallen raised a skeptical brow, but turned to where he was indicating anyway. The person walking towards them made her jaw go slack. His mostly white jumpsuit stood out starkly against his surroundings, as well as his shiny helmet and visor. A white nylon facemask covered the lower part of his face, so there were no hints to his identity at all. Several pairs of eyes stayed on him as he passed, with hushed words to follow, but he paid them no mind. He continued towards Zero, Jeremiah, and Kallen with a measured gait and tense, muscular shoulders.

The redhead immediately whipped her head around again. She narrowed her eyes at Zero, but her mouth remained agape. "Are you kidding me?"

"On the contrary, Kallen: I am quite serious," he chuckled. Kallen pursed her lips at him. She looked to Jeremiah for some kind of answer, but his expression was flat and offered nothing.

"Nice of you to join us." Zero spoke to the man in white when he finally reached their group. He nodded to the three of them in a form of greeting, but said nothing. "Is there anything you need?" The man thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. All the while, Kallen never took her eyes off of him. Zero nodded as if he didn't notice her scrutiny. "Well then. You're free to go about your business."

The man mirrored Zero's nod and turned to go, but Kallen roughly caught his arm and muttered, "Wait just a second." The man in white halted. Panic burst within him and spread through his limbs, rendering them immobile. Kallen laid her sharp gaze back on Zero. "Who's behind that mask?"

Zero remained silent, and she bristled. She already had a feeling that she knew who it was, but she didn't want it to be true. It was too risky. There's no way that Zero would pull something so obvious.

The moments dragged by, and Zero still said nothing. Kallen switched to glare at the man in white. "Well? Who are you?" He didn't say anything either. In fact, he wasn't even looking at her. She could feel the tension in his arms from where she'd grabbed him. Beneath her fingertips he was as solid as rock.

She gave up soon after, finally releasing the man and grumbling, "Fine," beneath her breath. He moved quickly to get to the Avalon without a word or glance in her direction. Kallen gave Zero a heated stare as the man left, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "You're playing a dangerous game, Zero. So dangerous it's crazy."

Zero only laughed. "As is my intention. I'm a creature of habit, you see."

Kallen opened her mouth to respond, but Jeremiah interrupted. "This is my first sighting of him as well, Miss Kallen—though I was aware of his existence beforehand." This didn't appear to console her. "That suit is quite symbolic, don't you think? A white knight amongst the black. Even in the darkness, there is light. Like Yin and Yang."

"A white knight, huh?" Kallen scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She refused to look at either of them.

Jeremiah shrugged. "Well, he seems to have a knack for fighting for justice."

"You're wrong, Jeremiah." Zero mumbled. The other two turned towards him, but his attention was still stuck on the retreating back of the White Knight, who'd just reached the ramp to board the Avalon. "He's not a knight for justice—he's the enemy of evil. The defender of all that is innocent and pure. A knight in shining armor as white as snow…"

"… that's forgotten what colour it's supposed to be." The White Knight looked to his side, for he was certain that he'd just heard a soft voice from somewhere. All he could see was C.C.'s green hair dancing behind her as she walked down a corridor of the Avalon. It must've been her voice, but she didn't seem to care if he'd heard her or not, so he continued on his way, not caring that he didn't.

xx

They had arrived on the shores of Kaminejima under the cover of darkness. The operation commenced as soon as they arrived—a few hours after sunset. Everything went just as Zero had planned. After the first groups had left, Rivalz stood alone in the empty hangar of the Avalon next to his motorcycle. The front tire was pointed towards the disembarking ramp that the Knightmares had used before him, so he could be ready to leave at a moment's notice.

Whenever that notice may be. He had to be prepared for Zero's call, or for the signal. He couldn't hold still. If he fidgeted any more he'd literally be on his toes.

Rivalz forced himself to take a deep breath. The air was crisp and settled his insides—if only a bit.

The large hangar door was still open from the two departing squads of Knightmares, so the salty ocean breeze swept around him and rustled his clothes. A loud flap of his coat caused him to look down at himself. The suit Zero had given him looked navy in the faint light. The wind was noisily whipping at his coattails. He could feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest. The constant crashing of the waves upon the beach only made things worse. This perpetual sound… this motion…

He'd started fidgeting again. He wasn't sure someone ordinary like him was up to something like this. This was not something Rivalz Cardemonde had envisioned himself doing in a million years. And yet, here he was: willing joining a covert branch of the Britannian military in order to assist the masked ex-terrorist Zero… among other insane details.

He laughed once, in spite of himself.

"In a good mood, I take it?"

Zero's voice came to him from over his shoulder, and he turned to see the masked man walking to stand beside him in the hangar. It must be almost time. "Not really," Rivalz admitted, "just thinking."

"I see." Zero's tone revealed nothing, and even if he wasn't wearing the mask, Rivalz doubted that the dim light would be enough to see anything different upon his face. "You are prepared, at least?"

"As prepared as I'll ever be, Buddy."

Zero smirked behind his mask. He expected an answer of that sort. "Have the modifications been made to your bike?"

"Yep," Rivalz grinned and lightly patted the seat of his vehicle. "Not a sound out of the ol' girl now. Practically silent."

He nodded. "Good, and the rest of your supplies are-"

"—In the side compartments, yes," Rivalz interrupted. "Do you not trust me?"

"It's not that, I'm merely—"

"I know, Buddy. I know." He chuckled, cutting him off a second time. "We're all a little high-strung tonight. Just prodding."

Zero however, did not seem so amused, and let out a huff. "Even so, I'm making sure all of the bases are covered, such as emergencies." He spoke while reaching into his coat pocket and producing a small handgun. He held it towards Rivalz and the latter involuntarily flinched.

"What's that for?" He asked, brushing off his initial reaction.

"As I said: for emergencies," Zero explained. "Merely precautionary. I won't have one of my soldiers running around without means to defend himself."

"'Precautionary,' huh?" Rivalz echoed, finally accepting the weapon. After a moment, he cautiously tucked the handgun into his own jacket. A queasy smile came about his face. "Hm. I feel like I'm in one of those war games I play on my days off. One of those 'shoot-em-up' games, you know?"

"I can't say that I do," Zero muttered. "But I assure you, Rivalz, this is no game. It is all very real."

He threw his head back but continued to smile. "Come on, don't correct me like that. It's how I cope."

Within the mask, Zero set his jaw. He was all-too aware of how real the situation was. Despite Suzaku's continuous accusations, he realized that this was much more than a chessboard. These weren't pieces, they were Rivalz and Milly. Suzaku and Kallen. Gino, Jeremiah, Anya… He couldn't pretend to be disconnected from it. That only served to worry him further. "Rivalz, you aren't obligated to do this. If you choose to back out, I won't hold it against you."

Rivalz snapped his head around to face him with wide and incredulous eyes. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," he held up his hands. His tone became stern. "No. Listen, Le—Buddy, I _want_ to do this. Milly wants to do this. It's our decision. We… want to be useful this time around!" Zero said nothing. Rivalz swallowed thickly. "I'm sick of being left in the dark. I've seen what you can do, and I want to be a part of it. I may be nervous, but I'm not afraid. I trust your judgment." His smile was genuine, and Zero felt his shoulders drop some tension he wasn't aware of carrying. "Besides, it's not like I'm on the front lines, right?"

His fists began to clench beneath his cape. "I suppose so. But your job comes with its own set of hazards."

"Occupational hazards. Got it." Rivalz rattled off. Zero narrowed his eyes at him, but the other had no way of knowing that. Then Rivalz's face fell, his attention somewhere else, and he lifted a hand to point at something across the beach. His voice turned grim. "Look."

Zero turned to where he was pointing and sure enough there was a bright dot of green light nestled amongst the trees and overgrowth on the other side of the sand. "That's half of your cue," Zero muttered.

"Yeah," Rivalz breathed, uncertain for a moment, and then: "Leave it to me." Reaching into one of the saddlebags slung across the back of his motorcycle, he retrieved a mask identical to Zero's. It too appeared navy blue in the faint light of the half-moon. He placed the mask onto his face and swung one leg over the bike. The motorcycle made the smallest of sputters as he cranked the engine, after which it was replaced by a gentle hum. The floor of the hangar vibrated from the power of the engine.

Zero stood to the side and out of the way. There was a short moment of silence between them before he finally spoke. "Don't do anything unnecessary."

Rivalz nodded. He was smiling broadly behind his own mask, but it was impossible to tell. After another moment, a red speck of light joined the green, and Rivalz pulled on the throttle. The motorcycle barely groaned as he sped out of the hangar, down the ramp, and onto the compacted sand of the beach. The golden accents on his suit caught the moonlight as he rolled away, throwing them back into the eyes of the actual Zero until he disappeared beneath the darkness of the trees.

xx

"Still quiet, huh?"

"Yeah. Those Britannians aren't stupid enough to follow us after all."

"Looks like it… How about the eastern line? See anything, Tiashe? … Tiashe? Are you listening…? Looks like we lost Tiashe."

"Eh, he's probably asleep. He'd sneaked a nightcap the last time I saw him."

"Hmph. It's his court martial."

"I don't know, the way the General's been acting lately… it may be his funeral."

"Then I'll be sure to say a few words. … What about you, Lawrence? See anything out-of-the-ordinary? … Lawrence! Answer me! Agh, now it looks like we've lost the western line too. Maybe our communications have shorted out?"

"How should I know? We haven't heard anything to think otherwise."

"After that last loss do you really think it's a good idea to underestimate the Britannians?"

"Well, no, but—"

"_This is __Jäger from the southern line! Is anyone there?"_

"Yes, this is Lieutenant Russo in the north. What is it?"

"_Sir, it's Zero! Zero's been spotted! He's unaccompanied, but we have a visual on him near the southern front."_

"Perfect. I'll inform Captain Mayer. Deploy some troops to intercept him, but keep an eye out for any traps."

"_Yes, sir!"_

xx

**Author's Notes**— I… have no excuses. At least, I did until summer came along and then my excuses become very, very poor. A year is kind of… inexcusable. Anyway, on to more important things:

GOOD LORD THIS CHAPTER IS A DOOZY. I hope that partially makes up for my, shall we say, extended absence. Also, there's one scene in this chapter that I feel like I really half-assed. So, there's that. Lots of important stuff happened too! Woo!

I did something fun in that final section. I wonder if anyone can name all five of the anime references I shoved into that tiny little scene. You wouldn't really get anything for it… just some respect from me, and the knowledge that you have good taste.

Thank you to all of the lovely people that have stuck with me this long! Flighty as I may be.

**I feel like I had so much more to say,**

_**-Destiny**_


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